Memorial Day is six days out, and if you’re hosting, this is the week to stock the cart. I built my whole Trader Joe’s cookout list around the new Al Pastor Diced Pork Shoulder — and five sides that let me prep ahead instead of standing over the grill all afternoon.
Here’s the 10 — five for the grill, five for the sides — that I’d build a Memorial Day spread around.
1. Al Pastor Diced Pork Shoulder ($8.99/lb)
Why it earns the grill rack: This is the new item I want longtime customers to grab first — pre-marinated in citrus, pineapple, and guajillo, already diced so it grills in under 10 minutes.
Cookout role: Main protein, taco bar centerpiece. One pound feeds four people in tortillas with room for seconds.
Prep / pairing tip: Spread it flat on a hot grill or cast-iron griddle for 8-10 minutes, turning once, until the edges char and the pineapple caramelizes. Serve with warm corn tortillas, diced white onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Verdict: BUY — this is the anchor of the spread.
2. Carne Asada Autentica ($9.99/lb)
Why it earns the grill rack: A reliable, well-marinated skirt steak that’s been in the case for years — shoppers who don’t want to mess with their own marinade swear by it.
Cookout role: Second protein for the taco/fajita station, or a fallback for guests who don’t eat pork.
Prep / pairing tip: Hot grill, 3-4 minutes per side, rest five minutes, then slice against the grain. Pile it next to the al pastor and let people build their own plates.
Verdict: BUY for a backyard upgrade.
3. Cilantro Salad Dressing Chicken Thighs ($6.99)
Why it earns the grill rack: The chicken option for the kid or the in-law who’s “not really a red-meat person.” The cilantro dressing marinade keeps the thighs from drying out.
Cookout role: Alternate protein, also great chopped cold the next day over greens.
Prep / pairing tip: Grill over medium heat, 5-6 minutes per side, until the internal hits 165. I like serving it sliced over the Patio Potato Chips (item 8) for a knife-and-fork plate.
Verdict: BUY.
4. Aidells Italian Style Chicken Sausage ($4.99)
Why it earns the grill rack: Pre-cooked, so there’s no flame-up and no anxiety about temp — you’re just heating and getting char marks. Perfect for the host who’s also pouring drinks.
Cookout role: The easy crowd-pleaser. Slice into coins for an appetizer round, or put a whole link on a bun.
Prep / pairing tip: Medium heat, 4 minutes per side. Serve with the brioche hot dog buns from the bakery aisle and grainy mustard.
Verdict: BUY.
5. Beef Birria ($7.99)
Why it earns the grill rack: Technically a stew, but hear me out — this is your Memorial Day insurance policy. Warm it on the side burner, and any leftovers become birria tacos for lunch all week.
Cookout role: Slow-stew protein that bridges the cookout into Tuesday’s lunchbox.
Prep / pairing tip: Heat in a Dutch oven, shred with two forks, and set out alongside the al pastor with extra tortillas. Dip the tacos in the consommé.
Verdict: BUY for a backyard upgrade.
6. Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers ($2.99)
Why it earns the side-dish slot: The cotija-and-lime flavor leans straight into the al pastor’s Mexican lane, and there’s zero prep — just rip the bag open.
Cookout role: The arrival snack while the grill heats up.
Prep / pairing tip: Pour into a wooden bowl with a small dish of TJ’s Chunky Guacamole next to it. Nobody’s making real elote on Memorial Day — this gets you 80% of the way there.
Verdict: BUY.
7. Mediterranean Hummus Pack ($4.49)
Why it earns the side-dish slot: A universal side that works hot-day or cold-plate, and the variety pack covers the picky eater and the adventurous one in the same tub.
Cookout role: Make-ahead dip — pull it out of the fridge, set it on the table, done.
Prep / pairing tip: Pair with TJ’s pita crackers or sliced English cucumbers for the shoppers watching carbs. Drizzle olive oil and a pinch of za’atar across the top to make it look intentional.
Verdict: BUY.
8. Trader Joe’s Patio Potato Chips ($2.99)
Why it earns the side-dish slot: This is the seasonal limited-time chip — dill, sour cream, and a whisper of onion. It only shows up around Memorial Day weekend, so if you see it, grab two bags.
Cookout role: The summer-signaling side that sits next to every plate.
Prep / pairing tip: Serve straight from the bag in a big bowl. They also work crumbled over the cilantro chicken thighs for crunch.
Verdict: BUY — these vanish by mid-June.
9. Watermelon Lemonade Sparkling Water ($3.99/4-pack)
Why it earns the side-dish slot: New this week, and exactly the non-alcoholic option a 50-plus crowd actually drinks — light watermelon, real lemon tartness, no syrupy aftertaste.
Cookout role: The all-day refresher for guests who don’t want a beer at 2 p.m.
Prep / pairing tip: Chill the cans overnight, then pour over ice with a sprig of mint. It also makes a clean base for a spritz if you do want to spike one.
Verdict: BUY.
10. Strawberry Mini Sheet Cake ($6.99)
Why it earns the side-dish slot: New this week, red-white-and-pink, and it’s already plated — no baking, no decorating, no oven on a hot afternoon.
Cookout role: The dessert finale that doesn’t require me to think about dessert.
Prep / pairing tip: Pull it from the fridge 20 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens. Top with fresh berries from the produce section if you want it to feel a little more handmade.
Verdict: BUY.
Build the spread: Two pounds of al pastor (~$18), a pound of carne asada (~$10), the chicken thighs ($7), sausages ($5), and birria ($8) puts you at roughly $48 in proteins — enough for 8-10 guests. Add the five sides at about $21, and you’re hosting Memorial Day for under $70 with a centerpiece dish nobody else on the block is serving.
That’s the cart. Reply and tell me which one you’re putting on the grill first — I’m betting on the al pastor.
