Trader Joe’s Announces 2026 Customer Choice Awards Winners

Everyone is passionate about their favorite Trader Joe’s products, but do other shoppers share your taste? The whimsical retailer reveals its most popular items once a year, so now is your chance to compare.

The results of Trader Joe’s 17th annual Customer Choice Awards just dropped, and devotees of the supermarket chain have spoken: the Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings reign supreme. The frozen entree was named the overall winner, narrowly edging out favorites like the Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese and Butter Chicken to be declared the best product on Trader Joe’s shelves. 

The annual competition is divided into 11 categories, with five customer-selected products awarded in each. From drinks to snacks, the featured categories span Trader Joe’s aisles, giving you a guide for your next shopping trip. The nautical-themed grocery store has conducted shopper polls every year since 2009 to determine its award winners, and this year’s selection is as delicious as ever.

For anyone new to the TJ’s Customer Choice Awards, there is one important detail to note: Six category-sweeping favorites, including the Chili & Lime Rolled Tortilla Chips and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, have been removed from the running after winning their respective categories at least five times. They’re now honored in the Trader Joe’s Product Hall of Fame, freeing up more room on the winners’ podium for lesser-known picks and new products.

That said, you’ll still see several returning winners from last year’s awards in the lineup, in addition to a few emerging icons. From seasonal sweets to a controversial chip flavor, these are shoppers’ top products of the year.

Best Overall: Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings

Trader Joe’s is perhaps best known for its frozen finds, so it’s no surprise that the Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings took home the top prize. (Even professional chefs love this easy and flavorful meal.) Other overall favorites confirm that customers love frozen dinners, with Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese, Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings, Sourdough Bread, and Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice trailing closely behind the pork dumplings.

Best New Product: Protein Pancakes

It was a big year for anything protein, and the most popular new product at TJ’s reflects this trend. The frozen Protein Pancakes pack 20 grams of the macronutrient and snagged the highest award in the new product category. Other up-and-coming favorites include Sour Strawberry Belts, Garlic Butter Potato Chips, Hot Honey Popcorn, and Ketchup Flavored Lattice Potato Chips.

Best Beverage: Spiced Cider

In the bottled beverage department, Trader Joe’s limited-time Spiced Cider remains unmatched, earning the top spot in its category again after a successful run last year. The seasonal favorite is infused with cinnamon, allspice, and cloves and can be enjoyed hot or cold. Apple juice, Triple Ginger Brew, sparkling lemonade, and 100% tangerine juice were named as the four other most-beloved beverages. 

Best Cheese: Goat Cheese

When walking through the cheese department on your next Trader Joe’s run, make sure to grab a log of the classic Chevre Goat Cheese, which won its category again this year. And while you’re there, you might as well grab everything you need for a cheeseboard and pick up the other winners in this division, including the Syrah Soaked Toscano, Saint André Triple Crème Brie, and English Cheddar with Caramelized Onions.

Best Produce: Teeny Tiny Avocados

Trader Joe’s is known for its creative snacks and frozen meals, but some of its more straightforward offerings also impress customers. The Teeny Tiny Avocados, small enough to slice over toast or salads without worrying about preserving leftovers, are the most popular offering in the produce department. Shoppers also love the chocolate-covered Gone Bananas! (which fall somewhere between fresh produce and sweet treats), blueberries, Honeycrisp apples, and Persian cucumbers. 

Best Appetizer: Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip

There’s never a bad moment for rich, savory spinach and artichoke dip, but we don’t always have time to make it from scratch. Trader Joe’s makes it easy to enjoy a warm, baked version of the dip at home, and the store’s frozen Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip was a fan favorite. But if this classic dip isn’t your jam, try one of the other contenders in the appetizer division for your next party, like the Jalapeño & Cream Cheese Wontons, Vegetable Bird’s Nests, Parmesan Pastry Pups, or Greek Spanikopita.

Best Breakfast and Brunch Product: Hashbrowns

These crispy hash brown patties will quickly become a freezer staple for any household. They’re identical to McDonald’s famous hash browns and come in packs of ten for less than a drive-thru breakfast. Among the other breakfast winners, you’ll find sweet surprises like chocolate croissants, almond croissants, and Dutch Griddle Cakes, plus the new Protein Pancakes. 

Best Lunch and Dinner Product: Butter Chicken With Basmati Rice

For yet another year, the Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice remains the top choice among customers’ easy lunch and dinner options. This filling frozen meal combines a flavorful tomato-and-onion-based sauce, tandoori chicken, and fragrant rice for a quick weekday meal. Shoppers also praised the Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings, Chicken Tikka Masala, Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese, and Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings. 

Best Snack: Garlic Butter Potato Chips

A surprising champion has emerged in the snack aisle: Garlic Butter Irish Potato Chips. This relative newcomer was a bit polarizing when it first hit stores, but the chips ultimately won over shoppers with their aromatic garlicky notes and buttery flavor. Other winning snacks include the Elote Corn Chip Dippers, Horseradish & Chives Ridge Cut Potato Chips, Patio Chips, and the World’s Puffiest White Cheddar Corn Puffs.

Best Sweet Treat: Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches

It’s not difficult to understand why the Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches won over Trader Joe’s regulars. It could be the thick slab of vanilla ice cream inside each sandwich, the soft-baked cookies on the exterior, or the generous coating of mini chocolate chips that top it all off. But if a frozen treat isn’t your thing, pick up another top-tier dessert like an Almond Kringle Pastry, Chocolate Hold the Cone!, Chocolate Chip Hold the Cone!, or Mint Chip Ice Cream.