9 Trader Joe's Breakfast Items, Ranked Worst To Best

Breakfast is known as the most important meal of the day, and at Trader Joe's, there are dozens of delicious breakfast items that have earned their way into the carts (and the hearts) of store customers. These items are not just delicious, they are also known for being affordable, with many of them costing $5 or less at the store. However, not all items are created equal, which makes some shoppers question which they should purchase when making a trip to Trader Joe's.

To figure out which breakfast items are the best, I tried nine options from the store and reviewed them based on several factors, including the taste of each product, its uniqueness, quality, and overall value. After testing each product, I was able to rank these nine items from worst to best based on these factors. After reading this article, shoppers can feel inspired and confident when making breakfast item selections during their next Trader Joe's shopping trip.

I eat a bowl of granola and milk nearly every day for breakfast, and Trader Joe's has several flavor options to help bring variety to this wholesome meal. One popular flavor option is the Almond Ginger Sesame Granola, which riffs on a traditional granola by adding maple syrup, tahini, sesame seeds, almonds, and crystallized ginger to the mixture. This results in a very unique granola that truly stands out from other store-bought granolas that I have tried.

After my first bite, I was met with a pretty standard granola taste, but seconds later, the strong presence of ginger and tahini came through, perhaps as the crystallized ginger melted on my tongue. In many ways, this granola tasted slightly spicy, mostly due to the amount of potent crystallized ginger used in the recipe. While the flavors here were delicious, I wish they were better balanced to allow the taste of the granola to shine through as well. For me, it would be hard to finish a full bowl of this without feeling overstimulated by all the flavors present. I could see this item being a hit for those who love the taste of ginger and tahini, but for me, this granola, which costs $4.99 a bag, was somewhat of a swing and a miss.

If there is one thing that Trader Joe's is known for, it is its popular copycats of name-brand items. While it is perhaps most famous for "copycat" products like the Oreo-adjacent Joe-Joe's or the Ritz cracker-adjacent Golden Rounds Crackers, this practice also extends to the store's breakfast items. Joe's Os Cereal bears incredible similarity to Cheerios Breakfast Cereal, but Joe's Os are offered at a lower price of $1.99 for 12 ounces compared to Cheerios, which costs $3.79 for an 8.9-ounce box at Target.

As expected, the taste here is incredibly similar to that of Cheerios, with each bite bringing a simple, clean, oat-forward flavor. The crunch in Joe's Os was satisfying, and I found that while it did absorb the milk after a while, it retained its integrity for a good amount of time, which I appreciate. While this cereal is pretty plain on its own, it does serve as a great backdrop for berries and other fresh fruits to be scattered on top. While it might not be the most creative Trader Joe's breakfast item, this product is solid for what it is and is a great choice for its consistency and affordability.

Breakfast is the first meal of the day, and for many, prioritizing proteins in this meal is essential. Trader Joe's offers a great selection of breakfast proteins, including the Chicken Breakfast Sausage Patties, which are convenient and affordable. For just $2.99, shoppers can pick up an entire bag of these frozen patties, which arrive fully cooked and can be either fried or microwaved.

For this review, I tried reheating these frozen patties both ways. From my initial impression, these patties looked noticeably different in real life than they did on the packaging, which was slightly off-putting. The texture was also tougher than I expected, and I ended up having to microwave them for 30 seconds longer than directed on the package to make them warm all the way through.

While the appearance and texture missed the mark for me with these patties, I was really impressed by the flavor, which is bold, slightly spicy, and enjoyably aromatic with spices like sage and thyme. Overall, this is a good chicken sausage option if you are looking for something affordable and convenient. In order to get the best product results, I highly recommend frying these sausages instead of microwaving them, as I felt the pan-fried version was juicier and had a much-needed external sear.

When you think of breakfast, waffles may come to mind as an iconic dish. While waffles are typically made fresh or toasted from frozen, Trader Joe's has taken a unique approach with its Brioche Style Liège Waffles, which come individually packaged and ready to eat out of the bag at room temperature.

Similar to a typical Belgian waffle, these Liège waffles are light, buttery, and have a similar grid-like pattern. However, these Liège waffles were definitely denser and sweeter than a traditional waffle, which did catch me by surprise. I enjoyed the crunch and soft internal texture of each waffle, but the pearl sugar sweetness on the exterior was overbearing for me. For $3.99, I was impressed by how fresh these waffles tasted, and while I did find them too sweet, I could see myself buying these decadent waffles as a dessert item instead of as a breakfast food.

For those looking for a lighter fare, Trader Joe's offers a great option with the Organic Açai Bowl, which costs $3.99 per 10-ounce package. Açai bowls have become incredibly popular in recent years for their fresh and exotic taste. This bowl comes with a blend of Açai, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, unsweetened coconut chips, and coconut beverages. After thawing in the refrigerator or heating in a microwave, this frozen product turns into an easy and refreshing breakfast option.

For this review, I opted to thaw mine out in the refrigerator overnight, and when I went to try it in the morning, I was slightly disappointed by the texture, which was less thick and icy than I had hoped. On its own, the açai flavor tasted almost yogurt-like, and overall, the base was not very memorable. However, once I mixed in the granola, crispy coconut chips, and chopped fruit toppings, this bowl came to life, and I really ended up enjoying the combination of flavors and textures. While this bowl may not be as good as a fresh-made option from a restaurant, it is incredibly affordable, flavorful, and it is organic, which in combination makes this item one I would absolutely recommend for shoppers at Trader Joe's.

For those with a sweet tooth, there are few breakfast items more fitting than a delicious batch of cinnamon rolls. At Trader Joe's, customers can pick up a four-pack of cinnamon buns for $5.99. These rolls are made the traditional way by Danish bakers and come topped with a heaping of icing and a molasses coating. You can find these cinnamon buns in the bakery section, and they come ready to eat with no preparation required.

For this review, I followed the box's recommendation and tried them slightly heated up, a decision I am thankful for. Once heated, the delicious cream cheese icing was able to soften and complement the cinnamon bun. On its own, the cinnamon buns are a little dry, but this factor is easily concealable when you try a bite with the icing. The cinnamon and molasses flavors were delicious and well-balanced, and the sweetness level was spot on. For $5.99 a box, this is a great option to spruce up your breakfast spread, and I look forward to buying these again in the future.

If you are a fan of the Trader Joe's brand, you've likely heard of or tried its frozen hashbrowns, as they have become quite an iconic item for the store. One pack of these hashbrowns costs just $2.99, and each hashbrown comes neatly packed and ready to heat in a skillet or bake in the oven.

These Trader Joe's Hashbrowns taste and look similar to the iconic crispy McDonald's hashbrowns, which was a welcome surprise as a fan of that item. The potato flavor is light and delicious, and the crunchy golden exterior is incredibly satisfying. My only complaint with these hashbrowns is that they are slightly too oily, which is why I recommend dabbing with a paper towel to help absorb any excess. While I have tried these hashbrowns baked and pan-heated, I recommend using a skillet, as the hashbrowns turn out extra crispy and delicious. As a great side dish or an easy breakfast in a pinch, these hashbrowns are certainly one of my favorite breakfast items that Trader Joe's has to offer.

I have personally never had a great experience with frozen pancakes, so I was cautious before trying these Chocolate Chip Poffertjes. Oftentimes, I find that frozen pancakes end up soggy, flat, and flavorless, which is why I was delighted to find that these poffertjes, which are a popular winter treat from the Netherlands, are the complete opposite. Each $3.99 box comes with a heaping of these mini-pancakes, and while Trader Joe's offers a variety of flavor options, I selected the chocolate chip version.

After reheating them in the microwave, I was impressed by how fluffy and moist they were without veering into the soggy territory. The ratio of chocolate chips is perfect, and I was happy that the light and delicate flavor of the pancake was still able to shine even with the chocolate additives. While delicious on their own, I enjoyed them even more when dipped into some maple syrup. Trader Joe's has succeeded in creating a really tasty and impressive pancake option with these poffertjes, and I know I will be adding this item to my future breakfast rotations.

I love baking at home, but one item that is always difficult for me to make is croissants. The perfect croissant needs to be moist and tender in the middle while being crisp and flaky on the exterior, all with a buttery and delicate taste. This combination is hard to master, which is why I was excited to try these ready-to-bake Trader Joe's Almond Croissants. Each box comes with four croissants for $5.99.

To prepare your breakfast, you must leave your croissants out overnight to proof. While this extra step does require some pre-planning, it is well worth it. Once your croissants are proofed, you can pop them in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Without any additional work, you will have delicious golden-brown croissants ready to enjoy in less than half an hour.

My favorite part of this croissant was the almond filling, which brought a subtle sweetness to the pastry and made each bite delightfully gooey. The croissant was definitely denser than a typical croissant, but the flavors were spot-on, and the fresh-baked warmth of this pastry was decadent and satisfying. While the crust was not as flaky as I was hoping, it was crisp and added that necessary texture to each bite. Of all the breakfast items I tried, this item is the clear standout, and I certainly will be going back to try each additional flavor that Trader Joe's offers.

As an experienced food reviewer, I take extra steps to ensure that my product reviews are as fair and ethical as possible. For this article, each Trader Joe's product was selected based on the store's current inventory in order to showcase a variety of different breakfast food items. All products were bought from the store and tried fresh, well within their expiration window. For products that needed extra preparation, I prepared each item based on the package instructions. Each item was tasted on its own, and I did not add any additional toppings or seasonings for my initial review.

The products in this article were reviewed based on several factors, including taste, texture, quality, value, and the overall uniqueness of each item. Product rankings were determined based on the combination of these factors. All prices mentioned in this article are based on the current prices listed on the Trader Joe's website.