The Trader Joe's Lemonade That's Better Left On The Store Shelf

With a one-two punch of sweet and tart flavors, lemonade is a simple and satisfying beverage any time. Among the many store-bought options, Trader Joe's is home to several different flavors of this popular refreshment. Sadly, its Organic Strawberry Lemonade didn't fare well in Tasting Table's ranking of strawberry lemonade brands, making it one drink that's better left on the shelf.

This style of lemonade is a rare miss in Trader Joe's typically stellar selection of summer beverages. The writer mentions that the strawberry flavor overwhelms each sip without enough contrasting lemon tastes to strike a balance between sweet and sour notes. Further, the beverage lacks the lightness of a standard strawberry lemonade, making it noticeably less refreshing.

Reviews on the internet bolster this opinion, with many commenters pointing out the lemonade's excessive sweetness. Several offer advice that this is best tempered by diluting the drink to make it more palatable. Others recommend selecting a different Trader Joe's juice if you want something to sip that will truly satisfy.

As far as how to improve upon this divisive drink, one Reddit user shared, "I do a 1:1 dilution with water," while another suggested it would make an ideal cocktail mixer. Elsewhere on Reddit, a user recommended, "This is great for batch cocktails. Adding lemon juice and gin, a little elderflower liqueur makes a fantastic party punch." Others chimed in with notes about dressing up this strawberry lemonade cocktail with Trader Joe's very own freeze-dried strawberries.

While Tasting Table found the Trader Joe's beverage worthy of remaining on the shelf, others don't seem to mind the flavor. Some even tout it as a must-have. One Redditor enthused, "This drink might be my new guilty pleasure... and one of the best strawberry lemonades I've [ever] had. I don't love the amount of added sugar, but I just need to not drink the entire bottle in one sitting. The balance of strawberry and lemon is perfect."

If you're already shopping at Trader Joe's and are curious about trying out the strawberry lemonade in a cocktail, simply refer to the advice of a Redditor who combined Trader Joe's 21 Seeds Tequila and its Organic Strawberry Lemonade. The user said, "The cucumber jalapeño flavor gives this a nice mix with a spicy kick." Searching for the right refreshment isn't difficult as long as you're creative and resourceful.