Over the past 3 months, it’s been literally impossible to find tempeh in stock at my local Trader Joe’s. This led me to wonder whether Trader Joe’s might have discontinued tempeh all together.
Despite being missing from the shelves, Trader Joe’s Organic 3 Grain Tempeh is still listed on the TJ’s website, and I couldn’t find any reports of discontinuation online.
Regardless, Trader Joe’s Tempeh has been notoriously difficult to find over the past three years. There seems to be a tempeh shortage, likely due to supply chain shortages impacting thousands of products worldwide. In fact, according to the San Diego Consumers’ Action Network, tempeh has indeed been a victim of food chain supply shortages in recent years.
For now, Trader Joe’s Organic 3 Grain Tempeh is safe in theory, although many customers will still find that this product is difficult to track down in stores. At my local TJ’s, they are holding a spot for the product on the shelves near the tofu, refrigerated dips, and cheeses. So, I’ll keep checking that spot until the product returns.
When it’s available, Trader Joe’s Organic 3 Grain Tempeh is sold for $2.29 for an 8-oz package.
Trader Joe’s Organic 3 Grain Tempeh
Tempeh is a fermented food made from soybeans that are soaked, cooked, and then injected with a live culture. Fermented foods like tempeh are generally considered extremely healthy as they contain high amounts of protein, vitamins, minerals, and beneficial bacteria that can aid digestion and improve overall health.
Plus, some people even believe that consuming fermented soy is the only way to reap the full benefits soybeans have to offer. You can read more about the purported health benefits of tempeh here.
Ingredients & Nutrition
Trader Joe’s Organic 3 Grain Tempeh is made with organic soybeans, water, organic brown rice, organic barley, organic millet, lactic acid, and starter culture. As you can see, it’s a very simple recipe using organic ingredients and no unnecessary fillers, sugars, or artificial preservatives.
Below you will find the nutrition information for TJ’s Tempeh…
Each serving constitutes a little less than ¼ of the package.
As you can see, a serving of this tempeh contains 190 calories from 8 grams of fat, 11 grams of carbs, 10 grams of fiber, zero sugar, and 19 grams of protein. Tempeh is a naturally high-protein, high-fiber, and low-sugar food, making it extremely healthy by most dietary standards. However, anyone sticking to a low-carb diet might find the carb index a bit too high.
Tempeh is generally considered Whole30 compliant and keto friendly. However, it is not allowed on the paleo diet. Unfortunately, Trader Joe’s Tempeh is not gluten free, as it contains barley.
Recipes
Trader Joe’s Tempeh is pre-cooked, so all you have to do is heat it up (and honestly, you don’t even have to do that!). Tempeh can be crumbled on top of a salad, added to a sandwich, or used in more complex recipes. However, most people recommend at least marinating it to add some flavor before adding it to a meal.
Trader Joe’s has their very own recipe for Curry Tempeh Stir Fry here, made with their tempeh and Thai Style Red Curry Sauce.
This Reddit thread features quite a few tempeh recipe ideas from TJ’s customers. Here are some of the recipes mentioned in the thread…
- Apricot Glazed Tempeh from Mississippi Vegan
- Lemon Pepper Tempeh from Healthy Happy Life
- Orange Pan-glazed Tempeh from 101 Cookbooks
- Marinated Balsamic, Maple and Garlic Tempeh from Smith’s Vegan Kitchen
- Tempeh Piccata from Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen
And finally, if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to make a vegan tempeh bacon alternative, check out this 5-star recipe from I Heart Vegetables.
Whichever recipe you choose, most tempeh prep methods recommend marinating your tempeh first to infuse it with your preferred flavors. Then, you can stick it in the oven, toaster oven, airfryer, or a frying pan to heat it up.
Customer Reviews
By and large, Trader Joe’s customers are definitely fond of the 3 Grain Tempeh. It’s especially popular among vegans and vegetarians as a healthy alternative to other processed meat substitutes.
Here are a few reviews from abillion.com…
As you can see, customers are super happy with the tempeh at Trader Joe’s! If you can find it, I recommend grabbing a package. I know I will, if it ever comes back in stock at my local spot.
