17 Trader Joe's Appetizers That Are Party-Worthy

If you are in the midst of planning a dinner party — or, perhaps, a brunch party — we can help. First of all, we have a guide on how to set up your dinner party like a pro. Or, there's Martha Stewart's simple tip for hosting a stress-free dinner party, which is to make some of the food or drinks ahead of time. But before you can even get to the part where you are prepping food or other logistics, there is something very important to figure out: What exactly do you plan to serve to eat? 

There is no denying that the main course is super important, but the appetizers are also essential. After all, the appetizers are the first taste (literally) that your guests will be getting for how the night will go. In other words, the appetizers are important to get right — and you do not even have to make them from scratch to make a good impression. Luckily for you, Trader Joe's has a ton of delicious appetizer options (many of which come from the freezer aisle) that are super easy to prepare because they are already pre-cooked. This means that you can spend the majority of your time and energy on the entree while still knowing that your guests will have super tasty and memorable appetizers to snack on before the main course.

First up, we have the chicken gyoza potstickers. Any kind of dumpling is basically guaranteed to be a hit, including these potstickers — which are filled with chicken, cabbage, and onion. They also are seasoned with soy sauce, sesame seed oil, and ginger powder for extra flavor. Pair these chicken potstickers with soy sauce, TJ's sweet chili sauce, or perhaps some homemade teriyaki sauce. The chicken gyoza potstickers cost $3.99 per 16-ounce bag.

Now here is an appetizer that will give your dinner party a fancy boost right at the start: the mini filet mignon en croûte. After all, what's more elegant than filet mignon? Essentially, these bite-sized appetizers consist of beef tenderloin pieces, mushrooms, and shallots, all of which are wrapped up in buttery, flaky puff pastry. The 10-ounce box of mini filet mignon en croûte is priced at $9.99, which may be a little bit pricey for Trader Joe's, but it is well worth it for this speciality.

The jalapeño and cream cheese crispy wontons are the perfect combination of spicy and creamy — so if you and your guests love a kick of heat, then these are for you. The crispy exterior is filled with parmesan as well as, of course, diced jalapeño and cream cheese. They will be all ready for serving after just 10 minutes in the oven. These also pair well with TJ's sweet chili sauce or, to take less attention away from the wontons, soy sauce. Buy one box of the jalapeño and cream cheese crispy wontons for $4.99.

Just like filet mignon, scallops instantly make your dinner party just a little bit more elevated — and the bacon wrapped around them makes them even more of a crowd pleaser. Luckily, all the work is already done for you, so you don't have to spend any time making sure you cook the scallops just right (but for whenever you do make scallops yourself at home, be sure to use both oil and butter for the perfect sear). A box of the uncured bacon wrapped scallops cost $10.99 at TJ's — again, a little bit pricier than some of the other options, but just as worth it as the filet mignon bites.

Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, but you may want to focus on more elevated foods for your dinner party. However, you do not have to forgo macaroni and cheese entirely because these mac and cheese bites take the dish to the next level to make them even more memorable and dinner party-worthy. Plus, because they are just bites, you can give your guests the comfort of mac and cheese without filling them up and distracting them from the main course. These bites are made with a blend of seven different cheeses — cheddar, havarti, Swiss, gouda, Monterey Jack, Pecorino Romano, and cream cheese — so there is no lack of cheesiness. Each box of the mac and cheese bites is priced at $3.99.

Chicken wings are a classic appetizer for a reason, and they are beloved by just about everyone. So, these hot and spicy chicken wings are guaranteed to be a hit at your next dinner party. The spicy sauce, which coats the wings, is made of cayenne pepper, chile pepper extract, and vinegar, so there is plenty of heat to them. Pair the wings with a batch of homemade ranch to really make them a memorable appetizer for your guests. One bag of the hot and spicy wings costs just $6.99.

Vegetable spring rolls are another popular appetizer that will make your dinner guests happy. These veggie spring rolls are filled with delicious ingredients, consisting of shredded tofu, mushrooms, kale, edamame, cabbage, onions, carrots, ginger, and garlic. Sure, you could make your own veggie spring rolls, but these are more than sufficiently tasty and will save you so much prep time — so make your own another time and use these for your next dinner party. Buy each box of vegetable spring rolls for $4.49.

Calling all lovers of the classic appetizer, pigs in a blanket. It's time you buy the parmesan pastry pups from TJ's. These tasty treats consist of mini hot dogs wrapped in puff pastry, then sprinkled with parmesan, so they are everything that you love about pigs in a blanket (just with a different name and complete with some cheese). They are delectable, savory, and just all around tasty. Each box of these parmesan pastry puffs is priced at $4.99.

If you have any gluten-free guests coming to your dinner party, then here's a fantastic appetizer option for you: the gluten-free breaded shrimp. This shrimp appetizer is super crispy on the outside, thanks to the coconut flour and tapioca starch, and just as delectable as any other breaded shrimp — really, your guests won't even notice the difference. Instead, they will simply enjoy this shrimp appetizer, which you can pair with sauces like garlic aioli, tartar sauce, or a classic cocktail sauce. Each bag of gluten-free shrimp costs $9.99.

All of the appetizers we have listed so far work perfectly for a dinner party, but what about if you're hosting a brunch party? After all, brunch parties need appetizers, too. In this case, a great option is this pack of mini croissants. They're flaky, buttery, and soft — and will certainly keep your guests occupied while you finish making the main brunch course. One box of mini croissants, which comes with eight pieces, costs $5.99.

Tacos may be a main course most of the time, but if they are mini-sized, they can easily work as an appetizer, too. These mini beef tacos are made with yellow and white corn tortillas and filled with ground beef that has been seasoned with the likes of garlic, oregano, cumin, onion, and paprika. Pair these crispy tacos with homemade guacamole or your favorite salsa. Buy a box of the mini beef tacos for $6.49.

There is something about olives that just feel like a fancy appetizer, and these fried olive bites happen to be just as tasty as they are classy. The olive bites are made from a combination of green Castelvetrano olives from Italy and dark purple Kalamatas from Greece, then stuffed with a cheese blend (cream cheese, mascarpone, and Roquefort). Then, the whole thing is covered in panko crumbs for a crispy, fried exterior. Stick these olive bites on tooth picks and arrange them on your fanciest plate, complete with a dipping sauce (Dijon mustard or aioli would work well). Each box of fried olive bites is priced at $4.79.

Here is another idea for a brunch party appetizer: maple poffertjes. If you're unfamiliar, poffertjes are simply small pancake puffs. These poffertjes are maple-flavored, so they have the classic pancake and maple syrup combination already built in (although, of course, you are welcome to add more maple syrup). These bite-sized treats make for an ideal appetizer, especially if your main course mostly consists of savory breakfast items — this way you get the best of both worlds. Buy a box of maple poffertjes for $3.49.

Who doesn't love sushi? The only problem with sushi is that making it at home is not the simplest task. Even with a sushi mat that makes it easier (or use this ice cube tray tip) , it's still a fairly time-consuming task — especially when it is just the appetizer. So, when you want to serve something else for the main course but love the idea of sushi for a starter, then buy this pack of premade California rolls from TJ's. They have everything that you would expect from a California roll: imitation crab meat, avocado, and cucumber all wrapped up in dried nori seaweed and white rice. Pair with soy sauce for the perfect appetizer. Buy each pack of California rolls for $5.99.

Here is another one for any spicy food lovers: the spicy cheddar cheese and jalapeño biscuit bites. These buttery biscuits have the perfect amount of heat from the jalapeño and are made even more savory thanks to the cheddar cheese. After quickly heating these up in the oven or air fryer, serve these on a platter and watch your guests go crazy over them. Buy a box of the spicy cheddar cheese and jalapeño biscuit bites for $4.99.

Samosas are, undeniably, a crowd pleaser. They are sure to get your guests excited for the evening's courses. Luckily, TJ's sells premade mini vegetable samosas so you don't have to put in the effort to make them from scratch. These veggie samosas are stuffed with the likes of carrots, potatoes, lentils, peas, and onions, as well as plenty of Indian spices to get the flavor just right. Buy a box of mini vegetable samosas for $3.99.

If you are going the comfort food route for your appetizers, then you cannot go wrong with these panzerotti pizza bites. These bites consist of pizza dough that has been filled with mozzarella cheese and Italian tomato sauce — in other words, all the making of a simple yet delicious cheese pizza. To take these to the next level and impress your guests, you can read our guide on how to turn Totino's pizza rolls into a gourmet snack (the tip will work just as well with TJ's version of pizza rolls). One bag of TJ's panzerotti pizza bites is priced at $3.99.