As finals creep up on us, sometimes snacks can help to relieve stress. With a Trader Joe’s near campus, I took the difficult and hazardous job of taste testing five of their large variety of snacks. When I told my plan to my significant other, Mario, he jumped in the car and took me to our nearest Trader Joe’s on Chagrin in Woodmere. I had trouble limiting our snacks to only five. 

I decided to keep it to five snacks, under $5 and in five categories: sweet, salty, cold, healthy and flat out weird. Mario convinced me to pick up Cookie Butter, Plantain Chips, Dried Okra, Mango-Strawberry Popsicles and Pickle Chips as my five choices. Here’s my honest review of these tasty and quirky treats:

Cookie Butter

For our sweet option, I paired the creamy cookie butter with some brioche bread from Trader Joe’s. I have been eating it for breakfast for the past few days. If you like the combination of sweet, soft bread with a smooth cinnamon cookie topping, this is perfect for you. It definitely took the longest to assemble, but the taste is flawless.

Plantain Chips

Mario, on the other hand, was not into the sweet option and prefers a more savory option like the plantain chips. The plantain is a banana-like fruit, grown on a tree much and common in many South American cuisines. Mario’s mother introduced me to plantain chips for the first time when I visited California. Unfortunately, the Trader Joe’s version does not live up to those fresh off the pan. If all you need is a satisfying crunch, I highly recommend these, but they lacked flavor. If I were to purchase these again, I would bring an extra packet or two of salt because after a couple small chips, I handed them over to Mario who happily finished the rest. 

Dried Okra

If you are trying to be healthier, I highly recommend the okra chips. Rich in vitamin C and K, okra chips boost your immune system and help your blood clot properly. The crunchy outside was more satisfying than the plantain chips, though the lack of salt was still an issue. If I were to buy them again, I would probably purchase some sort of dip.

Mango Strawberry Popsicles

With the warm weather approaching, popsicles might be on your shopping list. As someone who could eat an entire box of popsicles for dinner, it was hard to narrow down which fruit pops to pick. I decided on the mango-strawberry option, which is unusual for me. I normally steer away from strawberries because I don’t like fresh strawberry chunks, but I am happy I chose these. The only downside to these tasty frozen treats is that there are only four in a pack, which was disappointing for the popsicle fiend I am. 

Pickle Chips

The final choice was a weird one, and it was Mario’s decision. Pickle chips were not my first choice, but they fit the bill. What I thought were fried pickles were actually potato chips with dill pickle seasoning. I’m craving this combination as I type this sentence. What was supposed to just be a snack for an article caused an argument between me and Mario about who got the last chip. A chip bag that should have lasted a couple of nights lasted a mere 15 minutes. 

I had an amazing experience taste testing Trader Joe’s treats, and I challenge you to do the same with some of your friends. Pick out five treats you have never tried before. You might find a new favorite!