Amanda Shapiro: Hi _Food People,_ it's Amanda Shapiro, your host. And Senior Staff Writer, Alex Beggs has been reviewing Trader Joe's products since the dawn of time. Well, maybe only like four years, but in that time she's waited in countless Trader Joe's lines, sampled countless dips, sauces, drinks, chocolates, cookies, frozen delights, all of it all in the name of helping us navigate those just distraction inducing grocery isles. And as she leaves her full-time post at BA, we thought it was only fitting to reflect on this and ask what are the best and worst Trader Joe's products of all time. And why does this one store have such a hold on us still after all these years? What I do know is that it's the new year and you are at least until the end of this week, Senior Staff Writer, Alex Beggs. Alex Beggs: Yes. Amanda Shapiro: Is at the end of this week? Alex Beggs: And my first freelance assignment is Trader Joe's Reviews for January, so I'm still going... Amanda Shapiro: I thought you were going to say Trader Joe's had hired you as a freelancer. Alex Beggs: And now I am Trader Joe himself. No, I actually would love to write their copy, but it's unlike any other grocery store. They don't hire outsiders, everything is internal and that's how they keep prices so low. Amanda Shapiro: They birth, they birthed their own copywriters in a lab in Trader Joe's. Alex Beggs: Yes. Amanda Shapiro: So I mean, if anyone were to be hired as a copywriter at Trader Joe's, I feel like it should be you because you've been writing these Trader Joe's reviews for BA now for like how long? Alex Beggs: I think four years? 2018 was the first year I did it and the time has just flown by. Amanda Shapiro: It's the longest column you've ever wrote. And it's probably the longest continuous column that BA has ever published. Alex Beggs: Yeah. And I've had a lot of fun doing it, and I can't imagine a world where I'm not doing it because I'm never not excited to walk through those automatic doors. Amanda Shapiro: What does it feel like relatively consistently going to Trader Joe's and buying every single new product for that month? Like what even goes into that? How do you know what products you need to buy? Alex Beggs: Right. So I... So you're asking about my writers processes with my Paris review interview. Let me tell you about it, Amanda. I rely on their website, which is kind of janky and they recently redid it and it's slightly better now. So they have announcements of new products there. So I'll start making a grocery list and I have it in the notes app so that I can share it with my partner, Bill, when we're in the store. So we can like team up and get everything. Amanda Shapiro: Ah, so you have a partner in crime. Alex Beggs: And it's so fun. And you know, in New York, one person had to be in line the entire time I was shopping while I run around the store and getting everything. So you have to shop with a partner. Amanda Shapiro: The joy of Trader Joe's in New York city. Yeah. Alex Beggs: What's interesting about Trader Joe's is the constant product drop. There's always new stuff. And because of that, they'll test out new products in certain markets before other places. So I'll go in to that specific store cause I know they'll have lots of good new stuff that I hadn't seen online yet. And I'm just like, "Ooh," you know, like filling my cart and like, people are looking at me like, "Oh my God, why is she getting the alley loafs?" Amanda Shapiro: They think you're like a super fan. Alex Beggs: Or worse, like an Instagram influencer. But there are a lot of them who are amazing. I'll go online and I'll see what the different Trader Joe's influencers are getting. They're way more lovable to Trader Joe's than I am. I think I have a little more skepticism. Amanda Shapiro: It's a tough love. Alex Beggs: There's tough love there. Amanda Shapiro: You've been in a relationship for a very long time. At this point, you just know they're not all hits. Alex Beggs: Yeah. And I'm writing to both be a service to my friends, but also to entertain people. So when I first started writing them, Carrie, my editor would say things like, "You can only compare food to fingernails once a year." like it can't get too gross, but sometimes the food is quite gross. You know? Amanda Shapiro: I feel like that has like really has made you spread your wings and expand your metaphors in a really creative ways over the years. Alex Beggs: Aw shoot, thanks. Amanda Shapiro: So you go into the store, you get all the new products and then over the course of like what a couple of weeks, you're just stuffing your face with different Trader Joe's items. Alex Beggs: Oof I wish it was a couple of weeks. I'm usually doing this pretty close to the deadline. So it'll be a crazy weekend and I will have a night, we'll call it like Trader Joe's night, and I'll have my friends over and I'll try and cook as many of the things as possible. You know, you're just eating like five different frozen appetizers. And we used to do it in the office where I would bring everything in from Trader Joe's and everyone would stand around and taste it with me. But now I get to do that with my friends. So they kind of helped me be like, "This is bad, right?" or "Is it me or is this amazing?" Like the pumpkin spice hummus this year was kind of surprisingly good. Amanda Shapiro: Oh my God, really? Alex Beggs: Yeah. Once you like, try and forget that it's beans you're eating, it's just kind of cinnamon sugar tasting dip. So... Amanda Shapiro: Like, if you don't think about it as hummus, I get that. Alex Beggs: If you think of it as frosting, which is what I did. Amanda Shapiro: This episode is all about superlatives. So we're going to talk about a range of the highs and the lows and in-betweens, but what are the most interesting things you've come to realize about Trader Joe's over the time that you've been doing these reviews? What can you tell our audience who may not be the Trader Joe's stan that you are, that so many others are? Alex Beggs: Congrats to them for having a life. But I think the biggest misconception and one that I had when I first started writing these, was that there was a Trader Joe's test kitchen where they're cooking up breaded fried frozen ravioli's and truffle stuffed gnocchi. Both of which I really loved, but that's just not the case. I'd have to double check this number, but a majority of the products are private label, which means they're seeking them out from other companies. And then some of them I think they're commissioning. So I think the biggest misconception is that you're buying a product made by this company, Trader Joe's. When, in fact you're buying foods from companies from all over the world and all over the country that have made deals with Trader Joe's and then Trader Joe's has an in-house art team that creates these adorable, upbeat, friendly packaged, wonderfully designed snacks that make it all seem harmonious and fun. Amanda Shapiro: Like going to Disneyland or something and seeing all your favorite characters on the shelves. Alex Beggs: You know, you're going to Whole Foods and like the new foods are cool and serious and sleek. And they're also well-designed, but it's too well-designed. I don't feel like I fit in there, like I'm a little weird. I feel more at home at Trader Joe's. And maybe that's because I spent so much time there. Amanda Shapiro: When you say like some products are commissioned, does that mean that Trader Joe's comes up with the idea? Like we want to make everything but the bagel seasoning and then they'd go and find another company to do it. Alex Beggs: I want to say yes, but there's so secretive about how they work that I don't, can't point to a source. But yeah, that's my understanding is that they have a creative team that are ideating and seeking out products because some of them all kind of fit in with that thing. There are so many everything but the bagel, everything but the whatever. The latest one, that was the everything but the leftovers seasoning blend and it was like a seasoning one that just tastes like Thanksgiving, which I loved. I thought that was really Willy Wonka and fun. Amanda Shapiro: Oh, it's so fun. It's kind of like our stuffing biscuits where they use the flavors of one thing. Alex Beggs: Yes, just like that. Amanda Shapiro: And it is worth mentioning though that this process doesn't always make those other vendors happy. There was just a story in Grub Street reporting that Trader Joe's was in conversation with this Indian condiment company called Brooklyn Delhi, their products are fantastic, we love them here at BA. And they were talking about private labeling and they didn't end up making a deal, but as the article reported, recently Trader Joe's launched a pretty, nearly identical product with some serious overlap in branding. So there's definitely a flip side to their kind of voracious trend watching and copycatting that not every small business owner is happy about. It is an amazing experience though, to see how trends proliferate through Trader Joe's. Like one thing becomes popular and then three other versions of it spring up. Once the frozen cauliflower gnocchi took off, then there was the kale gnocchi, which far inferior in my opinion. We'll talk about gnocchi later. We'll fight about gnocchi later ,Beggs. So we talked a little bit about this before, I think your reviews make it seem like Trader Joe's is this emporium of endless choice. But when you actually go into Trader Joe's, you're not seeing a million products. There's actually kind of a limited selection for a lot of pantry staples. Alex Beggs: Yes. And I think the number is hard to nail down because every store is a different size, but there's around three or 4,000 skews, which is just like different products in a Trader Joe's store. When there might be 30,000 at a bigger supermarket. So that's a huge difference. Amanda Shapiro: And yet they are wildly successful without offering people the same amount of choice. Alex Beggs: Yeah. And the prices are just so incredibly affordable that people really rely on that store and a really loyal to it. There's only around 500 Trader Joe's in the United States. You know, there's I think 5,000 Walmarts or more, so it makes it feel extra special. This boutique experience. I started shopping there because I was a broke college student and kept shopping there because I worked in publishing in New York. So I've always been a loyal shopper because the price is above all. And then second, because I like snacks. Amanda Shapiro: Let's talk about some of these products. Alex Beggs: Okay. My body is ready. Amanda Shapiro: But not your mind? Alex Beggs: That's just going to come as does. Amanda Shapiro: It just gonna come. Alright, most likely to be invited to every party. Alex Beggs: The most likely to be invited to every party because I've probably brought it to every party are the elote chips. Amanda Shapiro: Oh my God, yes. Alex Beggs: Which I know you love because I've probably brought them to your parties. So you're getting like zingy yummy spices on this very dippable big old freedom and they're amazing. Amanda Shapiro: They're so good. I think this product is really the epitome of something that Trader Joe's does so well, which is convinced people who think they don't eat junk food to buy junk food in just mass quantities, because these are no better for you than a frito. But we buy them all the time. Alex Beggs: This is the epitome of Trader Joe's making products that bring me joy. Amanda Shapiro: Yes, they're great. Okay. Let's stay on the junk food train. Most likely to be better than the original, but they're like a riff on. Alex Beggs: I can't remember if they came out last year or the year before, because all of my reviews are a blur now, but the saddle potato crisps are obviously Pringles. They're fantastic and they have this creepy green faced guy in checkerboard pants riding the chip like a bronco on the canister and that's unnerving. But once you get past that, they're very good. I love those. I usually snag a can of those when I'm picking up other stuff. Amanda Shapiro: Yeah. Okay. Most likely to make an appearance at your wedding. Alex Beggs: I'll never get married, but I feel like this is an inside joke I have in my reviews because there's so much wedding food at Trader Joe's, all the little bites. Like appetizer party cocktail party bites. However, I think the best thing to have at your wedding from Trader Joe's are the mini sheet cakes and there's one in chocolate. Got a chocolate ganache frosting and the other is vanilla chantilly cream, which is like, sounds so dainty. And they're moist and great. It's bigger than a cupcake, but not a huge cake. So it's the kind of cake you buy at the grocery store when it's not your birthday and you wish it was. Amanda Shapiro: Right. Alex Beggs: People DM me a lot when the reviews come out, and somebody once told me that they loved the sheet cakes so much that they tracked down the baker who made them and had them do a full size wedding sheet cake. So I loved that and I also liked the little mini mousse cakes that they change every season. Amanda Shapiro: We have to go back to the part about how he tracked down the baker, like from the notoriously tight-lipped Trader Joe's. That even would admit that there was a baker, let alone, like let alone pass along. Alex Beggs: You can do sleuthing. You can sleuth. This was over a year ago, but you look at a product and you see where it's made. Or you can look at the ingredients and try and track down where it's from. I dunno, like I was impressed. Amanda Shapiro: Okay. So I know you cover mostly the new products, but what is most likely to be stocked at Trader Joe's until the end of the world? Alex Beggs: Which is any minute now. So every year Trader Joe's releases the most popular items. Every year the top of the list is frozen mandarin orange chicken. And I think it's interesting because that's been a bestseller for years. The packaging is, I don't think ever changed. Amanda Shapiro: There's a whole cult around the orange chicken, and I just love how they have the word mandarin. Just like chantilly. Alex Beggs: It makes it fancy. Amanda Shapiro: Just like chantilly, yes. Alex Beggs: It makes it seem like there's a little something extra about it. It's frozen fried chicken with like a gloopy sweet sauce. It's yeah, it's delicious. And it's comfort food and that's what they do best. Amanda Shapiro: It's Panda express. Yeah, I mean, I think we could devote an entire episode to just the frozen section there. That's really where Trader Joe's shines. Okay. Speaking of the frozen section, the product most likely to start fights? Alex Beggs: Between you and me, the fight is about the cauliflower gnocchi, which I'll hate till I die. Amanda Shapiro: A lot of people feel both ways about it. I love the cauliflower gnocchi, tell me why you hate it. Alex Beggs: I hate it because I am quick to judge and maybe I should have given it a second chance, but with me, there's no second chances at Trader Joe's. Amanda Shapiro: It's true. You don't have time for that. Alex Beggs: So the instructions are confusing. You have to saute it, but steam it and you have to do a bit of work to get the texture that they want it to be, which is like gnocchi. But in order for it to retain that texture, it is covered in the potato starch. And when I cooked it, it just became as like a gooey goo, booger gross texture. Amanda Shapiro: Too much water. Alex Beggs: Okay. Ew, I don't need this. And I don't like the sulfury cauliflower taste. To me, I would rather eat regular gnocchi and roast some cauliflower on this side. That's just not how I need to get my cauliflower in my body. Amanda Shapiro: I don't even care that there's cauliflower in it. I just love the texture and I like that it barely holds its shape. It's like, Ravioli, but no cheese. I just sort of bursts in your mouth. Also, have you tried air frying it? Alex Beggs: I knew you were going to say that. Amanda Shapiro: Because you influenced me to get an air fryer, now I air fry things. Alex Beggs: Everyone says that's the best way to make them. And Trader Joe's has started putting air fry instructions on a lot of their frozen foods. Amanda Shapiro: Because they're ahead of the curve as always. Alex Beggs: Ahead of the curve. So, no, I haven't done it, but I guess I will. Amanda Shapiro: Okay. This is a niche one. Most likely to be tagged on Trader Joe's Instagram? Alex Beggs: You could also say most likely to be the subject of a Trader Joe's themed TikTok too, because on social media people love tagging Trader Joe's in their charcuterie platters because that's having a moment. It is so much cheese and as new cheeses have come out, I feel like the new ones have the visual medium of Instagram or, or TikTok or whatever in mind, because it was like a green goddess gouda, and it was green flaked. And then the Scotch Bonnet pepper one that was beautiful and red looking. Oh, that one tasted really gross. And then they even had a brie that was in the shape of like a flower and it was beautiful. And I was thinking, "This is no coincidence." They've really stepped it up in there.. And they have all the other accoutrements you need for your charcuterie plate. Like the most affordable Marcona almonds, which are really shiny and salty and so yummy. And all kinds of salamis that are already pre-rolled and it's charcuterie heaven in there- I love Trader Joe's cheese section. But my favorite cheese is a boring triangle New Amsterdam Gouda. I get it every single time. It is salty and awesome. Amanda Shapiro: Not the Irish cheddar or Scottish chedder? Alex Beggs: I don't know the chedder's cheddar, but the one I always get is that gouda it's more consistent in my life than church. Amanda Shapiro: Okay. We're going to take a little break from the TJ's recommendations, but it is not all roses. There are some thorns. And when we get back, we're going to ask Beggs to dish on the Trader Joe's items that should probably not make your grocery list. And she'll also pitch me some of her dream Trader Joe's products. You don't want to miss it. Alright. I think we have to hit on some misses too. So I want to hear what is most likely to be in your trash right now? Alex Beggs: I still feel haunted by the, I think it was in December that it was like a frozen breakfast bowl. Tofu scramble with soy chorizo. I normally love the soy chorizo, I think it's really good. Amanda Shapiro: Yeah. That's a big seller. Alex Beggs: It's really good. I think it's their best meatless product, even though it's extremely, extremely salty. But this tofu scramble, it also had a vegan cheese in it. The idea of microwaving all of this, it was just mush and it was so disgusting. And usually I don't like food waste and I will eat most of the thing that I'm tasting. But in this case I composted it. It was really, really awful. Amanda Shapiro: A frozen item that did not deliver. Alex Beggs: That's to say, if you're looking for a meatless burrito filling, the soyrizo is good. So get that and buy tofu and if you made your own version, it would probably taste better. Amanda Shapiro: Yeah. I think they just flew too close to the sun. Like they saw the popularity of the soy chorizo and they were like, "What else can we do with this?" Alex Beggs: But like so many bad Trader Joe's stuff, they'll scrap it tomorrow. And it's not that big of a deal. Amanda Shapiro: No harm, no foul. Alex Beggs: They move on. Amanda Shapiro: Okay. Most likely to provoke a gag reflex in you? Alex Beggs: Other than that one? Amanda Shapiro: Yeah. Alex Beggs: Oh God. Uh, yes, there were two pumpkin spice dips this year. The hummus, which was basically frosting, and then the one that made me want to hurl, which was pumpkin spice three cheese dip. Amanda Shapiro: Oh, God. Alex Beggs: And you're supposed to microwave it. Amanda Shapiro: Ew, no! Alex Beggs: And it makes it even worse. Amanda Shapiro: Hot pumpkin cheese. Alex Beggs: Too far, too far. Amanda Shapiro: So it was, it was sweet? It was sweet cheese. Alex Beggs: I don't even...and now that I'm thinking about it, I don't think they marketed it as pumpkin spice, but just pumpkin cause they were leaning into the squash element of it. However, it was too close to pumpkin spice and yikes that got composted. Amanda Shapiro: Alright, one more, most likely to give you heartburn? Alex Beggs: The first product I tried in 2021, were the crispy fried habanero slices and they are actual hell. And they will... Amanda Shapiro: Like actual chilies? Alex Beggs: Yeah. That have been fried and preserved in oil. And they are so, so hot. Amanda Shapiro: Wow. Alex Beggs: They'll burn you they'll burn you up inside. Amanda Shapiro: Oh my God. Alex Beggs: It might be worth. It might be worth it. Amanda Shapiro: You think they're good? Like, a good heartburn. Alex Beggs: I liked it. I didn't try it again because I'm not a masochist, but I, I kinda liked it because Trader Joe's can veer on the side of safely bland. Amanda Shapiro: Yeah. Alex Beggs: So when you find something actually spicy, I'm always shocked. Like the peri peri sauce that came out last year was actually spicy. And I really liked that one. It's a fermented hot sauce. Amanda Shapiro: Yeah. Yeah. Um, all right. I think I already know the answer to this one, but what is most likely to appear on the internet at a markup? Alex Beggs: Oh God. Most likely be resold on Amazon is the everything but the bagel sesame seasoning. Trader Joe's resellers on Amazon is an entire niche industry, because like I said, there's very few Trader Joe's stores across country, so people hear all this exciting talk, that like we're having. Very thrilling. And they want to try and buy the stuff. So some of it's sold on Amazon and the everything but the bagel seasoning is the most popular one. And I see people buying like $15 for two jars when it's $2 a jar, less at the store. Also considering it's just everything bagel seasoning. It's not that rare. You can find other brands that make it, you can find it in your regular grocery store. Amanda Shapiro: There's so many knockoffs now you can also make it with the spices that you have. Alex Beggs: Yeah. But it's just got a special little Trader Joe's halo around it. So, and I just started realizing that every time now that I see everything but the bagel on a product. I start thinking like, "you know, what, what I really want is a bagel." Bring back the bagel. Amanda Shapiro: Trader Joe's do you hear this? We just want the bagel. Alex Beggs: I want everything and the bagel. Give it to me. Amanda Shapiro: Speaking of cult products that morph into other products. Talk to me about speculoos cookie butter beer. First talk about speculative cookie butter for those who may not know, and then talk about the beer. Alex Beggs: Yeah. After the mandarin orange chicken, I think the speculoos cookie butter is one of the most iconic Trader Joe's products of all time. It's just cookie dough flavored peanut butter, but it's not actually peanuts in it. Every so often people will DM me, "I just got this. It's amazing. You have to find it." And that'll send me on these crazy searches and they'll start to take over other priorities I have in my life. And finding the speculoos beer... cookie butter flavored beer sounds so gross, but I want it to try it so badly. Amanda Shapiro: It sounds like Harry Potter, like Butter Beer. Is it alcoholic or said like a root beer? Alex Beggs: Oh yeah, it's beer. Amanda Shapiro: Oh my God. Well, I don't know. Alex Beggs: With Trader Joe's, like, you can knock until you try it because you never know. Amanda Shapiro: Yeah. Okay. Let's talk about in the alcohol vein. I feel like a lot of Trader Joe's juices are just mixers in disguise. Alex Beggs: All of them. Amanda Shapiro: Basically all of them. Alex Beggs: My favorite is a spicy mango lemonade. I think it's summer only, but if you can find it, you have to have that for your margarita mix. It is so good. I love that one. Last year 2020, the sparkling strawberry juice came out in these thin little cans. That one is also amazing with vodka. And I gave one of the sparkling cranberry, sparkling strawberry, one of those things to my nieces, and they had never had anything sparkling before and they call it spicy water. Amanda Shapiro: Oh my god. Alex Beggs: "What was that spicy water, Alex?" Amanda Shapiro: It does kind of prick the back of your throat, you know? Alex Beggs: Yeah. Amanda Shapiro: So in our final time together, Because you have been doing these reviews for so long and also because you are a creative genius, I would love to hear if you were in a board meeting with Trader Joe's and you were to pitch them on five products that they needed to commission or find for 2022, what would they be? Alex Beggs: I got, I can only do five. I have so many ideas. So if anyone from Trader Joe's corporate is listening... Amanda Shapiro: This is just the tip of the iceberg. Alex Beggs: For a small fee, you can get the rest. My first priority is I want the spud crunchies to return. They're a discontinued chip that looks like a French fry, but it's just a potato chip. And my revival of them is called son of a spud crunchy. Amanda Shapiro: Ooh. Alex Beggs: So I want to give those another chance. Amanda Shapiro: But they're the same they're just... Alex Beggs: They just have new packaging. Amanda Shapiro: Okay, new branding. New name, new branding. Got it. Okay. Alex Beggs: Everything but the lettuce salad mix and it's just a plastic bag filled with 37 little plastic bags of salad toppings like sliced almonds and Craisins. Amanda Shapiro: Most likely to fill the landfill. It's just, it's like a Russian doll of plastic bags. Alex Beggs: Yeah. Well, if there's one thing I can count on and Trader Joe's is like yet another salad mix and they make me so angry because they're so unnecessary. So that's my pitch and I hope they take it. Amanda Shapiro: Who wants salad anyway? Alex Beggs: Yeah. You just want the Craisins. Last year I tried, they had a frozen, it was like frozen spaghetti. Spaghetti is one of the easiest things you can cook. And that drove me crazy, but I was thinking time for Trader Joe's to do frozen Dan Dan noodles. I would buy the hell out of that. Amanda Shapiro: So they're cooked, the noodles are cooked and then frozen. Alex Beggs: I don't know how they do it. I'm just coming up the ideas, Amanda. Amanda Shapiro: I'm just so suspicious that like cooked frozen pasta, it reconstitutes. Alex Beggs: I don't know. You have to cook it like the gnocchi and maybe it works, maybe it doesn't, but it'll be delicious. Amanda Shapiro: I want that, sounds so good. Okay what else? Alex Beggs: A pimento cheese jalapeno popper dip. Which combine all of those into one dip because Trader Joe's always has good dips. Amanda Shapiro: Everything but the popper, pimento cheese jalapeno dip. Alex Beggs: Oh, yeah. I should have thought of a name. And then, because it's a food podcast, we haven't talked about the wonderful beauty selection at Trader Joe's, but I'm waiting for a crossover of unexpected cheddar body butter. This is edible lotion. Amanda Shapiro: I think the speculoos cookie body butter is going to be a better sell. Alex Beggs: Oh yeah. I wonder if they've done it before? If they haven't, oh my god. Amanda Shapiro: They should do the speculoos scented body butter. Alex Beggs: But yeah, I have so many more ideas. Frozen hash brown waffles. Amanda Shapiro: Wait pitched me on, uh, your mom's tilapia. Alex Beggs: That's the name of the product, your mom's tilapia. This is a frozen breaded filet of cheap fish. Whatever is on sale. And it comes with a balsamic glaze and a can of diet coke. Amanda Shapiro: A two for one. Alex Beggs: A complete meal. Amanda Shapiro: But the diet Coke is not frozen. It's just normal. Alex Beggs: Yes, it is you just have to go with it. It's too complicated to package it otherwise. Amanda Shapiro: Yeah you defrost it all at once, love it. I mean, I can see these on the shelves immediately, really. Alex Beggs: Thank you for your support Amanda Shapiro: Done, bought, sold. Beggs, Anything else you want to say about Trader Joe's? Anything we didn't touch on that feels important? Alex Beggs: Um, I do want to shout out to my friend, Bobby. Bobby is on the art team at Trader Joe's and she's become my friend over the years. And she is responsible for a lot of the most delightful packaging at Trader Joe's. So just want to give her some credit where credit's due. Bobby, love you. Amanda Shapiro: Thank you so much Beggs, I am so glad you're going to keep writing new reviews. I will continue reading them, shopping from them, and I hope that your appetite can sustain them. Alex Beggs: Oh, it can. Thank you very much for having me. And if anybody has discovered a new Trader Joe's thing, you know that you should DM me and tell me about it because this is the closest I've gotten to investigative journalism. Amanda Shapiro: Thank you to Alex Beggs for once again, hopping on the podcast and giving us the breakdown of all of the best and worst and everything in between, Trader Joe's products. To get more of her hot takes, read all of her reviews, and all of her writing on bonappétit.com, we'll link to some things in the show notes. And be sure to give Beggs a follow on Instagram. You can find her @alexandrabeggs and if you find a cool new Trader Joe's product that you love, send her a DM, she'd probably love to hear about it. If you love the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. It helps keep us _Food People_ employed. And you can follow _Bon Appétit_ on Instagram @bonappétitmag and on Twitter @bonappétit. _Food People_ is produced by _Bon Appétit_ in partnership with Pod People. Vishnu Vallabhaneni is our senior producer, Ginny Bloom is our showrunner, Madison Lusby is our senior production manager, and Morgane Fouse and Jessica Jones are our associate producers. Nico Avalle assisted with research, and this episode was engineered by Trae Budde. The music is by DJ Nu-Mark. June Kim and I provide editorial direction for the series. Special thanks to Matt Sav, Aimee Machado, and Nico Steele. I'm your host, Amanda Shapiro, see you next week.