Trader Joe's is practically famous for its delicious dried fruit and nut selections, ranging from totally decadent trail mixes (read: so much chocolate) to unique yet healthful dried blueberries and mangos. There is always something perfect to satisfy your nut cravings or snacking needs, although the large selection can be overwhelming.
Here is a quick recap of 11 different varieties to save you time in the nut aisle next time you visit your local Trader Joe's.
1. Go Raw Trek Mix
The most plain of all TJ's "Trek Mixes," this one has simply raw cashews, walnuts, almonds and raisins. This is easily one of the healthier options because the nuts are not roasted (no oil added) or salted. It's not as funky as the rest, but should always be a staple especially when you're looking for some good, clean energy on-the-go.
2. Organic Trek Mix
Simply cashews, almonds and dried cranberries—but with the added crunch and flavor that comes along with the roasting process. USDA-approved organic, this one is a TJ's classic with an extra kick for your healthy-eating conscious. Not as fun and sophisticated as the ones to come, but a staple similar to the Go Raw version above.
3. Peanut Butter Cups Trek Mix
A decadent treat, this one is a mix of milk chocolate peanut butter cups, roasted almonds, cashews and dried bing cherries. The cherries are very tart and taste a little odd with the chocolate peanut butter cups—unless you're into that sour-and-sweet thing, in which case, this combo is delicious. Sour cherries aside, the peanut butter cups make this one totally worth the splurge.
4. Harvest Spice Trek Mix
Perfect for the holiday season, this one is a mix of roasted almonds, holiday spice cashews and pecans, candied ginger and dried apples. It's very light and not so chewy with a slight spicy kick from the ginger. This one is a great choice if you're looking for a sweet, spicy and sophisticated trail mix that's a bit out of the box.
5. Legendary Nut & Berry Mix
This unsalted mix of raw almonds, cashews, walnuts, dried cranberries, raisins, blueberries and raspberries isn't as fun as the sweeter and saltier kinds, despite the long list of ingredients. But if you're looking for a totally fruity protein boost, this is an ideal variety-packed snack.
6. Rainbow's End Trail Mix
This chocolatey blend of candy-coated chocolates, roasted peanuts, almonds and raisins is definitely on the sweeter side of things. This is the basic trail mix that you always ate as a kid, the kind your mom packed for you in a ziplock bag for your elementary school lunch. The chocolate-to-nut ratio leans heavily on the chocolate side, so if you're someone who usually only eats the M&M's, it's the one for you.
7. Simply the Best Trek Mix
A tropical blend of dried pineapple, cranberries, cherries and roasted cashews, this is a trail mix to take with you to the beach. If you're mostly into the dried fruit part of any trail mix, this is definitely the one for you: the only nut in the ingredients list is cashews.
8. Oh my! Omega Trek Mix
Opposite from the last one, this one is mostly nuts—the only fruit is dried cranberries. The nuts include roasted almonds, pumpkin seeds, pecans, pistachios and raw walnuts. It boasts high levels of omega 3 from the raw walnuts, which give the mix a strong earthy vibe. If you're looking for a trail mix that will hold you over for a couple hours, the high protein levels in this one from the large variety of nuts will do the trick.
9. Sweet, Savory & Tart Trek Mix
This one's a doozy: a mix of peanuts, fancy grade cashews, golden raisins, white chocolate drops, semi-sweet chocolate drops, roasted almonds, dried cranberries and peanut butter drops. While this mix contains almost too many different ingredients, the peanut flavor definitely dominates, with a slight presence from the cashews. The combo of white and dark chocolate chips pushes the sweetness level almost over the edge.
10. Cashew Macadamia Delight Trek Mix
A mix of roasted cashews, almonds, macadamias, dried pineapple and cranberries—this one is a twist on the classic. Macadamia nuts might not be everybody's favorite nut because of their dense, heavy texture, but the sweetness of the pineapple and cranberries lightens this one up perfectly.
11. Happy Trekking
A sweet mix of roasted almonds, pistachios, cashews, dried cranberries, cherries and chocolate chips, this one is basically the best of all worlds. It's one of my favorites because it contains a classic variety of nuts (along with the unique addition of pistachios), plus the sweet dried fruit pairings... and on top of that, the added benefit of chocolate chips. Just watch out not to eat the whole bag at once.
While trail mix is a great way to pack some protein into your diet in no time, thanks to nuts' high protein content, it's also easy to pack on the calories if you eat more than a serving of it at once. That said, these TJ's varieties are often too tempting to pass up—and there's nothing wrong with trying them all, so long as you do it with a little moderation.