FOOD NEWS
Ranking Trader Joe's Prepared Foods From Worst To Best
BY Emily Hunt
13. Macaroni Salad
TJ's Lemon Herb Macaroni Salad has a noticeable presence of lemon, but the tons of relish it contains takes precedence and gives it an unpleasant briny flavor.
Plus, the only herb you can taste in the salad is dill. However, the relish adds some nice crunch, and the macaroni salad has a good mac-to-dressing ratio.
12. Tamales
The masa that wraps TJ’s Chicken & Green Chile Tamale is thick and hopelessly dry. The chicken is also slightly dry, and the dish offers no hint of green chiles.
Additionally, its lack of textural variety is pretty boring. With that said, the tamales are seasoned exceptionally well, and their lunch-sized portions are satisfying.
11. Potato Salad
The Old Fashioned Potato Salad at Trader Joe's looks more akin to dry mashed potatoes than potato salad. It doesn't have nearly enough seasoning.
The potatoes could be chunkier and the dressing creamier, but to its credit, the textures are good, especially the crunch offered by the green onions interspersed throughout.
10. Pasta Salad
The orzo in TJ’s Mediterranean Style Orzo Pasta Salad is good enough, but it lacks flavor and is a little bitter. It could benefit from some lemon, salt, and herbs.
Although the salad has some red onion pieces, they are too small to be noticeable. It lacks crunch, and there aren't enough sun-dried tomatoes to make a visible impact.
9. Burrito
The Carnitas with Salsa Verde Burrito is flavorful and well-seasoned but doesn't offer the cilantro lime flavor mentioned on the pack. It also has no hint of salsa verde.
The burrito is virtually devoid of texture and a bit squishy, and it's hard to discern between its elements. The cheese gets lost, and the pork and black beans somehow become one.