Trader Joe's Sliced Bread, Ranked

You know what the best thing since sliced bread is? Trader Joe's. I love the grocery chain because it features whimsical products and packaging designs, and it's never afraid to bring new items into its repertoire. Now, Tasting Table has extensively covered TJ's foods in the past, from its delectable lineup of frozen appetizers to the store's many gluten-free desserts. But I wanted to try something a bit more basic this time around. After all, the grocery chain offers a number of varieties of a food item many readers likely have in their houses right now: sliced bread.

My local Trader Joe's had 11 varieties of sliced bread in stock when I visited, so I picked each one up to try. I judged these breads on flavor, texture, their shape and size (as in how easy a slice is to work with in a sandwich or some common bread application), and cost. I also want to preface this by saying I purchased products with the furthest best-by date possible, but those dates ranged from four days after purchase to to nine days. In other words, that may have played some part in a bread's freshness and texture, but I could only make do with what was available at the store.

There's a little bit of everything when it comes to sliced bread options at Trader Joe's, including white bread, whole wheat, or gluten-free. Let's find out which TJ's sliced bread came out on top.

Look: I enjoy multigrain bread (and you'll see some higher on the list). But this sprouted version from Trader Joe's was a disappointment. Let's start with the positives: It's made from an interesting organic grain mix of cracked wheat, corn meal, millet, flax seeds, rolled oats, rye flakes, and sunflower seeds. Truthfully, I can appreciate this medley of ingredients, and wanted it to fare better. But it left my mouth dry after one bite, and felt like a chore to chew and swallow without water to wash it down.

Now, while I tried to get the freshest one, there were only a couple of loaves left on the shelf (with shorter best-by dates than higher-ranked entries). Consequently, it's difficult to say how much this played a part in the texture, or if it was simply the grains. In my experience, flax seeds tend to absorb a lot of moisture, so perhaps they're both the culprits.

But the harsh texture overpowered the flavor of the bread, which was actually quite nice, earthy, and a touch nutty. So between the dryness and generally higher price compared to other options, this takes last place in these rankings (even if a fresher batch might have fared better).

It's hard to discern any textural issues with this particular sliced sourdough sandwich bread at first glance. However, after trying it side by side with other loaves (including at least one other typical sourdough), this is not the best sliced bread offered by Trader Joe's. Similar to the aforementioned sprouted wheat, this loaf is far too dry and a bit hard. When you get a fresh loaf of bread, you expect some amount of springiness and freshness. But this sourdough seems like you left it open for a few hours to dry out.

The only reason it places higher than the sprouted wheat multigrain loaf is because it has a robust sour flavor, making it a stronger option for sourdough lovers; in fact, it was the most potent sourdough of what I tried. Additionally, if you toast the bread, you may not notice the dryness as much. The typical sandwich-style shape and sizing can also be enticing, since the higher-ranked sourdough loaf is shaped differently. But between the dryness and slightly higher cost, it comes in tenth.

You usually can't go wrong with white bread, and the organic sliced version from Trader Joe's is a solid pick. I have no major complaints about the taste, and the only reason it's so low is because the higher-ranked sliced breads were a smidge more enticing.

These bread slices have a pillowy texture that makes it a great starting point for sandwiches, but isn't too delicate. If you want it to be a little sturdier for a meal, simply give it a light toast, then add condiments like mayo, mustard, and any sandwich fillings. It's a classic bread loaf with a familiar, plain taste, but this version contains organic ingredients, which may be of interest to some customers.

Unfortunately, a lot of the slices in this loaf had some form of holes (making it difficult to make a sandwich without it leaking). And since other sliced bread options had more going for them flavor-wise, this basic option comes in ninth place.

The Hearth Baked French Loaf is a good bread, but it's not your typical French loaf. These loaves tend to be long and thin (rather than wide), making them perfect to enjoy smaller portions. Standard French loaves also generally have a slightly airy, soft texture; despite the air pockets here, Trader Joe's iteration seemed firm and slightly dense. It's not what I'd consider a French loaf at all, in fact, which hurt its placement overall.

Even the flavor seems like it has a touch of tang that you'd see in sourdough or perhaps a sourdough baguette (but without that scrumptious crust). Still, while the shape, taste, and texture don't remind me of the French bread it's named for, it has a pleasant foundation. And the shape, while not traditional, makes it good for a sandwich or loaded with peanut butter. It's not a whole loaf, but I found it slightly more interesting than the organic white bread, which gave it the lead.

I'm fond of thin, seedy European breads like this one from Trader Joe's, and this tastes ... healthy, as if you're eating a bread that's good for your body. That's likely because of its noticeable tangy and robust profile (as it's a sourdough rye bread), but it also has flaxseed, rye flakes, sunflower seeds, and wheat bran. This loaf is thin and compact, so you need to hold it delicately in your hand if you top it with anything, or better yet, give it a thorough toasting to firm it up.

I like that it has texture from the seeds, rye flakes, and wheat bran as I chewed. The density of the bread gives it a captivating mouthfeel, too, and it doesn't have the typical sponginess of other breads from this ranking. The depth of flavor provides the European Grains & Seeds Bread with an edge over everything so far, but it can't proceed any further because it's such a small loaf (only offering a mere nine thin slices for $3.49).

If I want a whole grain bread from Trader Joe's, then this is the one I'm picking. It tastes good, mildly earthy, and sweet. It's a complex sliced bread, let's put it that way. We see red wheat, white wheat, barley, rye, oats, corn, millet, buckwheat, and flaxseed combined to comprise a flavorful blend of ingredients. This mixture gives it such a dynamic and rich taste that it gives it a higher ranking than the previous bread.

Not only that, but the texture is much better and softer, allowing you to enjoyably eat it as is or toasted. Then there's rolled oats on top for added dimension and a touch of nuttiness. There's a noticeable sweetness, though, from honey and brown sugar, which slightly detracts from the earthiness of the nuts, seeds, et al. But I like this bread and everything it offers. It comes in a familiar loaf style to make crafting sandwiches and toast incredibly easy, and it on the lower end of the price spectrum.

Trader Joe's has more than one sliced sourdough, and this round loaf is the winner. It's wonderfully soft, enticing you to slather on some butter and jam right after purchasing. Or, at the very least, opening the bag and eating a slice on your drive home from the store (guilty as charged).

This pleasant texture and slight tang give it high marks. It's not as zesty as the aforementioned sourdough, which can be a significant factor in making it appealing to a wider audience who might not appreciate a stronger loaf. The negative aspect, though, is the strange shape. On the one hand, the roundness gives it a homemade loaf type of appeal. But on the other, it makes it difficult to create sandwiches since each slice varies in size.

Additionally, the crust doesn't add much texture-wise like a homemade version might, but it's still a tasty sliced bread to grab on your next TJ's run. You get a full, hefty loaf for a reasonable price, and if you can make the shape work in your favor, this could be a fantastic purchase. I think the taste is more versatile than the whole grain to give it a boost in the ranking, but not enough to best the top four.

The Sliced Seedy Multigrain Bread is a denser, heavier loaf despite looking small. The slices are soft with some airiness, but still durable enough to spread butter on untoasted. The crust offers a firmer mouthfeel, while the seeds in the form of sunflower, flax, and sesame offer a welcome crunch and nutty note. The seeds are fully loaded all around the crust, too, offering a delectable blend of textures. The earthy nuttiness also brings a complex flavor, and this is yet another loaf that's great to nosh on straight from the package while it's fresh.

Now, while it looks, feels, and tastes more elevated than a standard white or wheat bread — it resembles something you'd get at a farmers market for $8 a loaf — it doesn't rank higher because of it's unconventional shape. This makes it harder to use in the average application, like making sandwich.

Still, this would be a great bread to purchase when entertaining. You can put it on a Trader Joe's grazing board since it can pair well with sweet or savory additions like Prosciutto di Parma, fig butter, or roasted tomato labneh dip. I really liked the flavor, even if it wasn't better than the top three entries.

Not a fan of raisins in cinnamon raisin bread? Well, Trader Joe's created a solution for you with its Cinnamon Swirl Bread Sliced – which is sold sans those dried grape morsels. This bread is truly impressive on all fronts. It's perfectly delectable straight from the bag, especially when fresh, but it's much better when very lightly toasted. The toasting makes the cinnamon swirl more fragrant and enchanting to the taste buds.

Sweetness comes in the form of sugar and brown cane sugar, but then we also have cinnamon, butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract to impart more richness and dimension. The bread base itself is similar to a challah loaf because of the addition of egg. But it's also slightly milky, like milk bread, with the dairy addition. Despite the high price tag (it was the priciest out of everything I tried), there's no denying how incredible this loaf is when you crave something sweet.

While I thoroughly love this bread and would gladly purchase it again (not to mention my toddler was also a huge fan), the bold buttery, cinnamon flavor means it has limited use. You're not likely to make a grilled cheese or typical savory sandwich on it, and the next two breads are considerably more workable in that sense. But you should still consider grabbing a package of this on your next jaunt through TJ's.

Buttermilk bread is akin to a flavorsome white bread that's added a "wow" factor to make it more interesting on the palate. I couldn't help but say "mmmm" to myself as I noshed on a piece (this bread and the top-ranked entry were the only two that triggered that reaction). When you take a bite, it's as though it melts on the tongue.

It's truly scrumptious all by itself, with a bit of creamy flavor and mouthfeel from the butter, margarine, buttermilk flavor, and canola oil. There's also honey (I didn't notice much sweetness) and a splash of vinegar to further enrich the flavor. Additionally, this sliced bread doesn't need any finessing, as the shape makes it easy to use for sandwiches, French toast, standard toast, and more — and it's fantastic whether toasted or untoasted. It has a memorable texture because it's soft yet not fragile. Its reasonable price, size, shape, and flavor easily make it the most versatile bread on this list, which gives it such a high ranking. Only one bread was even tastier, though (and it's new to TJ's!).

The sliced porridge bread is one of Trader Joe's newest items as of this writing. I wasn't sure what it would taste like since it's relatively unheard of, with limited information and reviews, but after one bite? I knew this bread would be hard to compete with. As it turns out, nothing could beat it. 

First, the texture is one of the best of the bunch. It's utterly soft as you bite into it, but not so fragile like some white breads (which get ripped to shreds if you spread some butter on it). It's delicious untoasted and straight from the bag, with a soft texture and a slightly firm crust. It was just as tasty after a light toast, too. As for the taste, the packaging noted it's a sourdough loaf with honey and oats. The tanginess of a typical sourdough isn't too evident, likely because the honey mellows it out to offer a complex flavor. There's also rye flour and brown sugar, creating a unique, mellow profile. It's not white bread or whole wheat bread, but it doesn't taste like your average sourdough, either.

This is ideal for those who want a toned-down sourdough that's rich and multi-dimensional. The one caveat is that it's only a ½ loaf yet one of the higher-priced breads. Still, if you can get past the price and size, then you'll see why the quality, flavor, and texture allowed this to take the top position among TJ's sliced breads.

I purchased all sliced breads from my local Trader Joe's based on availability, so you may notice your store has more or less of these options in stock. I also chose breads with the furthest best-by date possible to ensure maximum freshness.

I tasted each bread untoasted and plain, then judged them mainly on taste, texture, size/shape, and price. I took a few bites of each until I tried them all, then I worked my way through them all again to provide a second chance. Additionally, while flavor preferences tend to be subjective, I generally enjoy breads with some inherent flavor, whether it's nuanced or prominent. Consequently, I preferred breads that seemed soft and fresh, while dry, firmer breads tended to rank lower.

The bread's shape and size was also considered, since that might affect how you use it or what you make with it. Price was a minor factor, as well, and occasionally helped determine a bread's position in the ranking.