The Trader Joe's Snack I Always Put Out At Parties

Trader Joe's has an array of popular snack items that you can serve to your party guests, including savory snacks like Mini (Almost) Everything Bagel Sandwich Crackers, or sweet treats like TJ's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. That's to say that you can find a snack for any mood, craving, or occasion. But I want to shout out something that I feel like I don't hear too much about. It's a nut, and no, it's not the Roasted & Salted Rosemary Marcona Almonds, which are also great to serve at parties. I'm talking about something that leans on the sweeter side: TJ's Dark Chocolate Covered Pistachios. 

Maybe it's just where I'm located, but I don't see this type of product at most grocery stores, so it was something I was eager to taste at Trader Joe's when I first spotted it. After trying the nuts, I've been a repeat customer, and love grabbing a couple of bags when I host friends. They're easy to snack on alone, but are also perfect to add to any type of grazing or charcuterie board when you want to create an elevated experience. The pistachios have a dark chocolate exterior, made with sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, butter fat, cocoa powder, salt, and some other ingredients. This gives the earthy and salty nuts a bittersweet, decadent coating and creates an incredible combination.

Surprisingly, you won't find this 6-ounce bag in the nut section with the Marcona almonds; instead, they're located in the freezer aisle on the little upper ledge that houses shelf-stable products. The bags are usually next to the other chocolate-coated things, like cherries — which I also recommend getting. And don't worry, there are plenty of items to buy at TJ's and beyond that work beautifully with the nuts. 

Consider some easy grazing table ideas for your parties when plating and pairing the chocolate-covered pistachios. Think about positioning the snack near fresh fruit, like strawberries, cherries, or apricots. Place them in their own dish so they don't touch anything wet or moist; you don't want the chocolate to get wet and sticky, as that creates an unpleasant texture when people pick up the pistachios. 

Beyond nuts and fruit (an iconic combination, I'd say), include any of your standard platter add-ons. The pistachios are small, so people can grab a few to place on their plate, along with other things like crackers, cheeses, olives, cucumbers, bell pepper slices, and the like. You can find other Trader Joe's items for your grazing board, too, if you prefer to do all your shopping in the same place. Some of my favorites are TJ's Fig Butter, Green Olive Flats Italian Lingue Crackers, or Honey Roasted Macadamia Nuts and Cashews. No matter what, it's a breeze to find things to pair with Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Covered Pistachios, and people will be impressed since they're not something that's typically seen on a board. 

You could go a simpler route, though, and place the bag's contents in a bowl to leave out for guests — no platter needed. This is what I like to do if I have guests coming over, because it's a conversation starter since people might not know what the snacks are from the outside. It's so easy to nosh on these, so I'd suggest buying multiple bags when entertaining a crowd.