I Tried Trader Joe’s New Products for February 2025

Trader Joe’s new items this month include a handful of delicious products, so I visited my local store to taste their new products for February 2025. If you want to know which items are worth picking up on your next TJ’s run, here’s my list.

1. Handheld Chicken Pot Pies ($4.49)

Trader Joe’s new Handheld Chicken Pot Pies have a bit of a catfish situation going on. When I opened the box and heated up my pie, I was disappointed by the pale color of the crust and the gray color of the filling.

Once I got over the appearance, though, I was pretty happy with the flavor. The crust on this pie is flaky and tender and would be even better in the air fryer or oven (you can microwave it if you’re in a pinch for time, though).

There wasn’t quite as much carrot or peas inside as I’d hoped, but the filling was still warm and comforting. This pie is definitely a step up from a Hot Pocket, but it’s just as convenient for eating on the go.

Rating: 7/10

2. Dark Chocolate Bark ($5.49)

When I eat chocolate, I usually like it straight-up without any chunks or mix-ins, but Trader Joe’s new chocolate bark with freeze-dried raspberries and puffed quinoa intrigued me. I’m glad I ended up giving it a chance because this bark is seriously good.

The dark chocolate is just sweet enough with a hint of bitterness, with bits of tangy raspberry. The quinoa doesn’t have much flavor but brings in a texture similar to a Crunch bar.

The bark is slightly thicker than a typical chocolate bar, making it perfect for snapping off a few pieces to enjoy as a sweet (but not too sweet) end-of-day treat.

Rating: 9/10

3. 70% Peruvian Cacao Dark Chocolate Bar ($2.49)

Speaking of chocolate bars, Trader Joe’s just dropped a brand new 70% Dark Chocolate Bar made from Peruvian cacao.

Now, don’t buy this bar thinking it’s going to taste like Hershey’s. These bars only have two ingredients – unsweetened chocolate and sugar. The chocolate flavor is bold and a little bitter but floral and sweet at the same time.

This is the type of chocolate I like to let melt on my tongue rather than chew to get the full experience. If you appreciate a dark, more bitter chocolate, this is a bar you need to try.

Rating: 8.5/10

4. Dark Chocolate Covered Bon Bon Cookies ($2.99)

That’s right, we have yet another new chocolate from Trader Joe’s this month – it’s Valentine’s season, after all. These Dark Chocolate-Covered Bon Bon Cookies are three desserts rolled into one.

On the bottom, there’s the crispy vanilla cookie. On top of that, you’ll find a layer of fluffy dark chocolate mousse, which is enrobed in a layer of Belgian Dark Chocolate. Each bite will give you a whole lot of sweetness and just a smidge of bitterness from that dark chocolate.

There’s no denying these little cookies are tasty, but at the same time, they didn’t particularly stand out, especially among other popular Trader Joe’s cookies like Joe Joe’s or the Brown Butter Salted Caramel Mini Biscotti (which is my favorite TJ baked good of all time).

Rating: 7.5/10

5. Portuguese Donuts ($3.99)

I hadn’t heard of Portuguese donuts until I saw them at Trader Joe’s the other day, but they are essentially a donut split in half and filled with a Nutella-like spread. These are also rolled in sugar for a little extra sweetness and crunch.

Four come in each box, and I easily could have eaten all of them in one sitting. You’re supposed to let these donuts defrost at room temperature for about an hour, but I was feeling impatient and warmed mine up in the microwave for about 45 seconds, which did the trick.

They would probably also be stellar in the air fryer and make the donut extra crispy. If you get only one new product from Trader Joe’s this month, make sure it’s these Portuguese donuts.

Rating: 9.5/10

6. Teriyaki Mushroom Mini Bao Buns ($4.79)

These mini bao buns are filled with a mix of mushrooms – shiitake, king oyster, and regular oyster, to be exact, along with chopped carrots and onions and a teriyaki miso sauce.

Trader Joe’s recommends heating these up inside a wet paper towel in the microwave to get more of a steamed effect, but I cooked them on a plate by themselves, and they still turned out perfectly.

The inside is hearty and savory, while the bun itself is super fluffy and has a hint of sweetness to it. They don’t need a dipping sauce because the filling is so flavorful, and I enjoyed mine along with a helping of their Miso Crunch Chopped Salad for dinner.

Rating: 8.5/10

7. Chocolate & Peanut Butter Lover’s Nut Mix ($5.49)

As a lover of both chocolate and peanut butter, I have to admit that I had high hopes for this nut mix and was slightly let down when I tasted it. It’s not bad by any means, but the chocolate had a waxy texture that I wasn’t a fan of, and the tiny cookies and pretzels were super dry.

Plus, with plain nuts and just a sprinkling of chocolate here and there, there simply wasn’t that much going on in the taste department. As much as I wanted to like this, I would recommend a regular old trail mix over this new snack.

Rating: 6.5/10

8. Elevated Nut Mix ($5.99)

Trader Joe’s new can of what they call “elevated” nuts originally seemed like a marketing gimmick aimed at convincing me to spend more than usual on snacks. However, I ended up being quite impressed by the quality.

The mix includes pecans, macadamia nuts, and cashews, which are varieties often overlooked in nut blends and trail mixes. It was refreshing to see these options take the spotlight for once. These nuts have a light sprinkling of salt – just enough to enhance their natural flavor.

I’ll definitely repurchase them for future charcuterie boards. At $6, they’re a steal compared to specialty store prices, where I’d expect them to cost closer to $10.

Rating: 8/10