This New High-Protein Trader Joe's Item Makes My Lunch Easy

I'm always scouting out Trader Joe's snacks and new items. I regularly visit the store's website and look at its What's New tab, like it is my daily newspaper. TJ's has had quite a few amazing hits in 2026 so far, including things like the Unexpected Cheddar Cheese Snackers (which I called a TJ's salty item worth purchasing) and Thai Style Yellow Curry Flavored Potato Chips (which I didn't have high hopes for, but were fantastic). 

I often make a trip or two to Trader Joe's per week just to test out some of those new items. So, when I'd heard a bit of buzz around the gözlemes, I wanted to try them out for myself. Well, they definitely live up to the hype. A description on the Trader Joe's website calls it "quesadilla-meets-stuffed-flatbread," which makes sense after trying them. This Turkish food actually comes from a Turkish supplier to keep it more authentic to what you might find there as a popular street food. 

It is made with a wheat flour-based dough, tulum cheese, kashkaval cheese, and mozzarella cheese; the tulum and kashkaval set it apart. I can really taste the complexity of the cheeses. It has a slight tanginess that brings it all together, elevating the flavors of the creamy mozzarella and the flatbread. I love that the bread is thin and flaky and gets a nice crust on the outside as you toast it in your pan. The cheese is perfectly melty, and some of it spills out onto the sides. It is slightly oily, so make sure to keep some napkins on hand. Each box comes with three individually wrapped gözleme, each containing 17 grams of protein. It makes a filling part of your meal, but I'd suggest pairing it with some sort of vegetable to make it more balanced.

I gobbled them plain, as is, because they are incredibly tasty. But you can pair them with items on the side — think chopped cucumbers, sliced tomatoes, or an arugula salad for a heartier meal. I like to cook it and then cut it in half or into four pieces to make it easy to grab.

There are plenty of rave reviews about this Trader Joe's item on social media, and some come up with impressive ways to eat it. One Instagram comment has clear instructions: "Obsessed! Put spicy peach honey on it. I air fried at 350 for 10 min on each side. I like it crispy!" Others share lots of great pairings; they like to add dill and a bit of freshly squeezed lemon, top it with shwarma chicken, or even dip it in date molasses or honey. However, don't feel obliged to combine it with anything. "Let's let Gözleme be Gözleme. It's a masterpiece on its own," says one Instagram user. Some don't like it, though, saying that it's awful or you're better off making your own. There are folks who say they didn't have enough cheese, while others say it was a cheesy, oozy disaster.

Nevertheless, I like it. I think it's delicious no matter how you eat it, and it's so easy to plop it on a pan, let it crisp up, and then you can immediately dig in — lunch is ready in mere minutes. Some say it doesn't brown like the product photo, but I didn't have that problem; it browned easily in a non-stick or stainless steel pan. I'd definitely deem this one of the frozen Trader Joe's items you should always buy.