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Trader Joe's Dropped A Bunch Of New Items In June — Here Are The 9 You Need To Try, Stat

by Callie Tansill-Suddath

Summer is a time for adventure, but adventure can mean a lot of things. A most underrated form of adventure is that of the culinary variety. Now, it's not so easy for everyone to just go out and take a gourmet cooking class, but adding variety to your plate doesn't need to take a ton of effort. Nowadays, yummy gourmet food that is easy to prepare isn't as much of a rarity. If you're looking to spice (or sweeten) up your summer menu, look no further than these nine items Trader Joe's released during June.

Trader Joe's is known for honing in on certain ingredients during each season. Fall means pumpkin-flavored everything. Winter means peppermint and countless flavors of hot chocolate. Spring means floral flavors, bouquets, sparkling lemonade, and greens. With summer typically comes a menagerie of mango snacks, but it would appear the hipster grocery chain is adding a little more variety to its lineup release this season. In fact, the products released in June alone have something perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, a snack, and an after-dinner foot rub. If you've been looking to try your hand at hosting a patio dinner party, you only need to make one stop to grab the necessities.

1Mixed Mushroom & Spinach Quiche

Quiche is a perfect food similar to the way pizza is a perfect food. It combines almost every food group — carbohydrates, dairy, vegetables— into one dish, and manages to marry every component beautifully. A good quiche is a work of art, but making one from scratch is difficult; those who have made pie crust understand why. Luckily, Trader Joe's has created an easy to prepare, classic mushroom and spinach quiche. Plus, each quiche constitutes an entire serving, so you're actually discouraged from sharing. Find them in the freezer aisle for $2.49.

2Dark Chocolate Toasted Sesame Caramels

Chocolate? Sesame? Caramel? It's as if Joe himself was testing the limits of flavor when he created these lil confections. The bitterness of the dark chocolate balances the rich sweetness of the caramel and nuttiness of the sesame to create a brittle-like morsel. Give 'em to your friends and they're sure to think you stopped by a bougie chocolatier. Joke's on them. Find the Dark Chocolate Toasted Sesame Caramels in the candy aisle for $2.99.

3Mini Vegetable Samosas

Samosas are a classic Indian food that house a delicious spicy potato mixture in a puff pastry shell. Finding one out of the freezer that tastes fresh is a challenge, but naturally it is one Trader Joe's is up to. Each box of mini vegetable samosas comes with 12 puffs, and retails for $3.49. Find them in the freezer aisle.

4Cucumber Avocado Body Butter

Back in the '90s the *it* scent for lotion, body wash, and whatever else you use on your skin was cucumber melon. So think of this cucumber avocado body butter as a millennial upgrade to a storied classic. Besides, which would you rather rub all over your flesh: avo or cantaloupe? Find some where you'd find other toiletries for $4.99.

5Peach Bellini Jam

The Peach Bellini Jam is a perfect addition to any brunch table. Not only is peach the quintessential summer fruit, this jam tastes like a bellini because actual prosecco is a main ingredient. Boozy jam that won't leave you with a hangover? What more could you want?! Find jars in the condiment aisle for $3.99.

6Mediterranean Style Salad Kit

What makes a salad Mediterranean? According to Trader Joe's romaine lettuce, shredded broccoli stalks, and radicchio make up the base, while celery, seasoned flatbread strips, and roasted chickpeas finish it off. The final product is a masterpiece of color, taste, and texture perfect by itself or paired with grilled chicken or fish. Find bags of the Organic Mediterranean Style Salad Kit in the produce section for $3.99.

7Berry Flavored Soft Licorice Twists

Trader Joe's has thrown its hat into the whole Twizzler vs. Red Vines debate by introducing these chewy morsels. The folks at Trader Joe's went to great lengths to ensure these twists are perfect — going as far as sourcing a specific kind of licorice root all the way from Australia! Talk about commitment! Snag a bag of Berry Flavored Soft Licorice Twists in the candy aisle for $2.49.

8BBQ Cut Fresh Atlantic Salmon Fillets

Grilled Salmon on a salad, a bed of veggies, or by itself is a quintessential summer dish. TJ's BBQ Cut Fresh Atlantic Salmon Fillets are extra thick and come with the skin still on, making them "ideal for grilling, pan-searing, roasting, baking, or poaching." Forget burgers or hot dogs, turn your next cookout into a fish fry. Find these fillets in the fresh fish section for $9.99 per pound.

9Peaches & Cream Tarte

The piece de resistance of Trader Joe's June releases is most definitely its new Peaches and Cream Tarte. By itself, a peach is a God-tier fruit. Baked into a golden, flaky crust a peach is at a level of deliciousness that is difficult to comprehend. The freeform tartes look rustic, and taste like they came straight from a bakery. Find them in the freezer aisle, bake, and serve them with French vanilla ice cream for a perfect summer dessert. One tarte retails for $4.99.

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