Trader Joe’s dropped a fresh wave of new items on May 19 and they’re hitting shelves just in time for Memorial Day weekend hosting. Here are the 5 standouts I’d build a cart around this week — three brand-new May releases plus two viral pickups longtime shoppers are racing to grab.
1. Garlic Shrimp Chips — $2.99 / 3 oz
These landed on the shelf May 19 and I grabbed a bag on my first lap through the store. They are gluten-free, surprisingly light, and the garlic notes are loud enough that you smell the bag before you open it. With Memorial Day weekend four days out, this is exactly the kind of snack I want sitting in a bowl by the pool.
Taste Test
The first bite is briny garlic and a faint shrimp sweetness, more savory than fishy. They puff up into an airy crunch that shatters in your mouth, closer to a prawn cracker than a potato chip. The seasoning is well balanced, never harsh.
Cookout / Hosting Role
Pour them into a wide bowl on the snack table and they hold up through hours of grazing without going stale. They are also the rare crunchy snack that does not leave orange dust on your fingers, which guests appreciate.
Pairing Tip
Serve them alongside a cold seafood dip or scoop them straight into a chilled gazpacho for a textural finish.
Verdict
BUY — at three dollars a bag, this is the easiest hosting snack you can drop into a cart this week.
2. Two Potato Hash — $3.99 / 16 oz
Another brand-new May 19 release, and this one solved my Memorial Day brunch problem in about nine minutes. A full pound of pre-diced sweet potato, Yukon gold, and bell peppers ready for the skillet means I am not standing at a cutting board the morning of a long weekend. Smart timing on Trader Joe’s part.
Taste Test
The sweet potato leans earthy, the Yukon brings buttery richness, and the bell peppers add a clean vegetal note that keeps the whole thing from going one-dimensional. Lightly salted out of the bag, so you can season to taste without fighting the base.
Cookout / Hosting Role
This is the holiday-morning move when you have houseguests and a coffee pot going. Heat a skillet with a little oil, dump the bag in, and you have a hot side ready before anyone finishes their first cup.
Pairing Tip
Top with a fried egg and a spoon of salsa verde, or fold into a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs and sharp cheddar.
Verdict
BUY — four dollars for a full pound of prepped produce that turns into brunch in under ten minutes earns its place in the cart.
3. Creamy Dreamy Hummus Cups — $3.49 / 4-pack
The third new arrival from the May 19 drop, and the one I think will move fastest this weekend. Four individual cups in a single sleeve means I can throw the whole pack in a picnic cooler and not worry about a serving spoon. The tahini is forward without being bitter, which is where a lot of grocery-store hummus stumbles.
Taste Test
Smooth, almost whipped texture with a clean lemon brightness and that nutty tahini backbone. It tastes closer to deli hummus than the chalky tubs I usually expect at this price. A drizzle of olive oil on top of each cup would not be wasted.
Cookout / Hosting Role
Grab-and-go portion control for poolside snacking, beach days, or a picnic blanket where one shared tub gets awkward fast. Each guest claims their own cup and there is no double-dipping debate.
Pairing Tip
Pair with sliced cucumber, mini sweet peppers, and a handful of pita chips for a tidy single-serving mezze.
Verdict
BUY — under a dollar per cup for portable, picnic-ready hummus is a Memorial Day weekend no-brainer.
4. Coconut Cashew Candy Clusters — $4.99 / 4 oz
Longtime shoppers will recognize these as the cult-favorite cluster that food writers have been calling a dead ringer for Samoas and Caramel deLites. Parade went as far as calling them “stupid good,” and the bag I opened this week did nothing to argue with that. They are back on shelves at the right moment for hosting.
Taste Test
Toasted coconut, buttery caramel, salted cashew, and a chocolate base that is darker than I expected. The caramel-coconut combination is unmistakably Girl Scout cookie territory, but the cashew gives it a grown-up edge.
Cookout / Hosting Role
Drop a small pile on a dessert tray next to a bowl of berries and a pitcher of lemonade and you have the easiest backyard dessert spread of the weekend. They are also small enough to plate as an after-dinner bite.
Pairing Tip
Crumble one over a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a five-minute sundae upgrade.
Verdict
BUY — five dollars for a Samoas-style cluster that does not require a Girl Scout cookie season pass is a holiday-weekend win.
5. Parmesan Tapenade — $4.99 / 8 oz
Multiple food blogs have already called this the “it condiment of summer,” and after one taste I understand the noise. Briny olives, salty parmesan, and a soft herbaceous lift that begs to be smeared on something grilled. With cookout season opening in four days, this is the jar I would not let leave my counter.
Taste Test
Olives lead, parmesan rounds out the salt and adds umami depth, and there is enough acidity in the background to keep it from turning heavy. It eats more like a spreadable cheese-and-olive board than a traditional tapenade.
Cookout / Hosting Role
This is the condiment that does three jobs at once on a Memorial Day spread — burger topper, cracker spread, and dip for grilled vegetables. One jar covers a lot of plates.
Pairing Tip
Spoon it over a grilled chicken breast or a thick slice of garden tomato right off the cutting board.
Verdict
BUY — at five dollars, this is the most versatile condiment Trader Joe’s has put out this spring, and it is built for the weekend ahead.
Five products, four days to Memorial Day, and a cart that more or less builds itself. Whether you are hosting a full backyard spread or just stocking the cooler for one good afternoon, any of these new May arrivals earns its spot on the counter.
Hit reply with which one you grabbed — we read every one.
