"When you walk into Trader Joe’s and are greeted with bouquets of colorful tulips and aisles of lemon-flavored goodies, that’s how you know spring is upon us. With its rotating selection of seasonal products, TJ’s has become a harbinger of the changing seasons. The weather might still be flip-flopping between blustery cold temps and random warm days (at least here in the Midwest), but with a quick trip to Trader Joe’s, you can fully embrace all the spring vibes. If you’re wondering what’s new at TJ’s this spring, I’ve got you covered. I hit my local store to scope out all the new and returning items for the season, and there’s a ton of great stuff to check out. Here are all the new spring Trader Joe’s products that are worth grabbing on your next run:
1. Mini Sheet Cakes
When you need a quick dessert that tastes good enough to be homemade, Trader Joe’s mini sheet cakes are the answer. Priced at just $5.99, they’re beloved for their super-moist texture and miniature size that makes it all too easy to eat the whole thing in a single sitting. The cakes come in a variety of year-round and seasonal flavors, including a lemon flavor that returns every spring. And new for this year, Trader Joe’s came out with a gluten-free version that features yellow cake and chocolate buttercream frosting. It’s the perfect sweet treat to share (or keep for yourself).
2. Tomato Leaf Scented Candle
If your immediate thought upon seeing this product was, “Why would I want a candle that smells like a tomato?”, just know that I had the exact same reaction. Upon smelling it, however, this candle surprised me in the best possible way. The scent is very fresh and herbaceous with a little citrusy kick that adds some brightness. It smells way more expensive than its $3.99 price tag and is perfect if you love earthy, garden-fresh scents.
3. Meyer Lemon Cake Mix with Lemon Icing
If you’re not big on baking things from scratch but you still want to make a fun homemade treat this spring, pick up a box of this Meyer Lemon Cake Mix. It’s basically an Iced Lemon Loaf from Starbucks but with even more lemony flavor. Bake one up on a Sunday to make breakfasts throughout the week a little more indulgent.
4. Black Garlic Cream Cheese Spread
If you’ve never heard of black garlic, this cream cheese spread might sound a little weird, but trust me on this one. Black garlic is just regular garlic that’s been aged to create a subtly sweet, umami-rich flavor that’s less pungent than the raw stuff (AKA less bad breath afterward). This spread would be so good on a toasted everything bagel or in place of mayo on a sandwich.
5. Sunscreen Lip Balm
I’m a big fan of Trader Joe’s beauty products—I’ll never stop buying their hyaluronic acid serum and eye cream—but there are tons of items I have yet to try. This sunscreen lip balm, for example, is new for spring and comes just in time for warmer weather. It offers SPF 30 protection and has a light, citrusy flavor, so you can keep your lips hydrated and protected without any gross sunscreen aftertaste.
6. Springle Jangle
While Trader Joe’s Jingle Jangle is a holiday season staple, Springle Jangle is a spring-themed riff on the beloved snack mix. Some TJ’s fans even argue that it’s better than the original! This mix includes all sorts of chocolate- and candy-covered goodies, including mini pretzels, butter toffee peanuts, sprinkle-coated nonpareils, Joe Joe’s cookie bark, and peanut butter cups. If you’re a diehard Jingle Jangle fan, this is worth a try just for comparison’s sake.
7. Rigatoni alla Contadina
If you are craving something fresh and springy for dinner but can’t be bothered to actually cook, this item is for you. With asparagus, broccoli, and green peas in a creamy sauce, this frozen pasta tastes like you hit your local farmers market, loaded up on veggies, and threw everything together into a homemade pasta dish. In reality, it took you less than 10 minutes and a single piece of cookware to make.
8. Havarti Cheese with Dill
This dill-infused havarti cheese isn’t brand-new, but it’s the perfect thing to pick up if you’re putting together a cheese board this spring. The addition of dill adds some freshness to this mild, creamy cheese and makes it taste a touch fancier than your basic havarti.
9. 100 Percent Sicilian Lemon Juice
In my mind, lemon is undoubtedly the flavor of spring. From desserts to pasta dishes to cocktails, I’m putting lemon juice in everything, and if I don’t have to squeeze them myself, that’s even better. This bottled lemon juice from Trader Joe’s is made from 100 percent fresh-squeezed Sicilian lemons (not from concentrate), so it tastes just like the fresh stuff but with less hassle.
10. Organic Fruit & Vegetable Wash
I make it a habit to wash fresh fruits and veggies before eating or cooking, but sometimes I wonder if a quick rinse under the faucet is enough. To take it a step further, TJ’s just came out with this new fruit and vegetable wash that helps rinse away wax, oil, and dirt from produce. It comes in a handy spray bottle, so it’s easy to do a quick spritz over your produce, massage it in, and rinse the residue away.
11. Beer Bread Mix
I picked up this Beer Bread Mix on a whim on my last TJ’s run, and the results turned out so good. The mix is pretty much foolproof—just add a can of beer and some melted butter. After about 50 minutes in the oven, the bread comes out buttery and crumbly with a golden crust. If you still have some chillier weather ahead of you, this makes the perfect addition to a cozy meal like chili or a creamy soup.
12. Double Cream Amarena Cherry Goat’s Milk Cheese
If you generally steer clear of goat cheese because you find it too strong or pungent, this Trader Joe’s cheese might just change your whole outlook. It’s made with Amarena cherries, AKA fancy cherries from Italy that are usually soaked in syrup and often used in desserts or as a cocktail garnish. In this cheese, they add a sweet, tart flavor that beautifully balances the cheese’s tanginess and creamy texture. Basically, this is goat cheese for people who don’t like goat cheese, and you’re almost guaranteed to love it.
13. Lemon Poppy Seed Buns
Trader Joe’s baked goods section is where you’ll find some of its best seasonal products, like these Lemon Poppy Seed Buns for spring. These Danish pastries are spread with lemon filling before being twisted into a unique knot shape and dusted with sugar and poppy seeds. Consider them a more decadent version of a classic lemon poppy-seed muffin. I suggest popping one in the toaster oven for a few minutes to warm the middle and crisp the edges before digging in.
14. Jelly Bean Flavored Lip Duo
If you’ve been paying $20+ for fancy lip balm, it’s time to give the TJ’s version a try. Trader Joe’s has come out with a few different flavors of lip masks and balms, and the quality rivals brands like Laneige and Summer Fridays—but for a much lower price. This lip product duo is new for spring and has a sweet, fruity jelly bean flavor that’s perfect for the season. Oh, and it only costs $6.99.
15. Tulips
Last but not least, some of the best spring Trader Joe’s products are found in their floral section. I always eagerly await the return of tulips at my local TJ’s—grabbing a bouquet is such an easy and inexpensive way to bring some spring vibes into your home. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to snag some peony tulips, which have multiple layers of petals and look similar to peonies when fully bloomed. Plunk them in a vase when you get home for a pretty pop of color.
Jessica Friedhoff, Senior Lifestyle Editor
Jessica Friedhoff is the Senior Lifestyle Editor at The Everygirl, where she oversees the Home & Living category of the site. She writes and edits stories across a broad range of topics including decorating, food, entertaining, travel, and more. With a pulse on the latest trends, she uses her eye for detail and design to create timely, inspiring content for our readers.