49 Best Things To Buy at Trader Joe’s for Less Than $5

There are hundreds of items you can buy at Trader Joe’s for $5 or less. However, savvy shoppers know some items should always be on your shopping list if you want to save money in the short and long run. 

We carefully selected the best 50 Trader Joe’s items under $5 to buy based on rave reviews found on Reddit, various accolades they’ve received and their prices. See what made our roundup and don’t forget to check out their cheapest, gourmet-tasting frozen foods. 

• Price: $3.99

Turn a bad day around, or take a good one up to 11, with a petite bouquet. 

These pretty bouquets are one of TJ’s best little luxuries for under $5 to give to yourself or to a loved one to show you’re thinking of them.

• Price: $3.99

Though it has been awhile since Charles Shaw wine had a “Two-Buck Chuck” price tag, it’s still one of the cheapest libations you’ll find for sale at Trader Joe’s. Shop merlot, pinot grigio, cabernet sauvignon and more blends for $3.99 per bottle.

• Price: $4.99

Many shoppers swear by Trader Joe’s organic cold brew black tea. 

Use it as your go-to for iced tea or get creative and try it with boba, add your favorite creamer for flavored milk tea or pour in some lemonade for delightful black tea lemonade that’s a cheaper take on the Starbucks menu.

• Price: $2.99

It doesn’t have to be fall for you to enjoy spiced chai black tea. This concentrate costs a little less than the black tea and can be added into your favorite cold or warm beverages. 

• Price: $3.79

We have good news for shoppers bummed out by name-brand sparkling water price tags. Trader Joe’s carries a wide selection of eight-count sparkling water cans in various flavors for less than $4. 

Shopping pro tip: The black cherry vanilla flavor tastes great to sip on its own. Or you can add to ice cream for a fizzy take on floats. It’s available for a limited time though, so don’t wait to buy a case.

• Price: $3.49

Mix up the juices in your fridge by trying orange peach mango juice. Each carton is priced just under $3.50 and tastes great on its own or added into your favorite cocktail or mocktail.

• Price: $3.79

Which of the Scandinavian swimmers will you buy as a treat? Whether you’re shopping for the regular or super sour flavors, shoppers get a great deal on both flavors of these inexpensive gummy snacks.

• Price: $3.99

The organic roasted seaweed has built a cult following at Trader Joe’s as a must-have snack. Those in the know are getting plenty of bang for their buck since you’re getting six packs of roasted seaweed sprinkled with sea salt at a competitive price.

• Price: $3.99

Just about everything pairs nicely with the raisin rosemary crisps. From brie with mushrooms to chicken salad, a box of these crisps should always be fully stocked in the pantry to wow guests or bring along to picnics or outdoor concerts. 

• Price: $2.99

The organic elote corn chip dippers are regular fixtures in the snack category at the Annual Customer Choice Awards. Similar name-brand corn chips cost a few dollars more to buy and don’t contain nearly as much savory flavor as those found at TJ.

• Price: $2.99

Families with tiny tots might already know about these fruit sauce crushes — and if you don’t, today is a good day to start shopping for them. 

A pack of four pouches comes out to paying 75 cents apiece and are available in a bevy of toddler-approved flavors like apple banana, strawberry, cinnamon and more.

• Price: $1.49

Shoppers looking for an affordable chocolate treat have found it in the coffee lover’s espresso beans. 

These pint-sized bags are loaded with chocolate-covered espresso beans in cappuccino, caramel late and coffee and cream flavors. Keep a bag handy for an afternoon perk-me-up while you work.

• Price: $1.99

Searching for a snack that eats like a potato chip but tastes a lot healthier? Try the plantain chips at Trader Joe’s. 

These slightly sweet chips won’t break the bank. And for shoppers looking for more of a zing to the taste, jerk-style plantain chips are also available at the same price.

• Price: $3.99

Take a look at how massive these garlic and jalapeño stuffed olives are inside their jar. 

Add them to charcuterie boards, skewers or plop into martinis and savor the knowledge you paid a lot less without sacrificing substance at TJ than at a specialty store like World Market.

• Price: $3.49

Reddit users are calling the organic tomato and roasted red pepper soup the “best packaged tomato soup” they’ve ever had. 

It’s cheap enough to add into your grocery shopping lineup without breaking the bank and pairs great with its sidekick, a grilled cheese sandwich. Pick it up and thank the fans later.

• Price: $3.49

We named the pumpkin bread and muffin mix among the 10 best fall foods to buy at Trader Joe’s for less than $5 and we’re giving it another shout-out here, too. 

All you need to do is add water, oil and eggs to this seasonal mix to make a moist loaf of pumpkin bread or batch of pumpkin-flavored muffins. (A single box costs $3.49 as of September 2025.)

• Price: $0.99

If you haven’t tried out the canned lentils yet, consider this your sign to start shopping for them. 

Shoppers on Reddit have praised the texture of the lentils as perfect to add to all sorts of dishes like salads and soups. Plus, at 99 cents each it’s easy to load up on four to five cans at a time.

• Price: $0.99

You’re getting your money’s worth with Trader Joe’s orzo pasta. Each bag weighs in at one pound and just $1, which is cheaper than name-brands sold at traditional grocery stores.

• Price: $4.29

One of the best meats for under $5 is the sweet apple chicken sausage. Five delicious sausage links are packaged inside that cook up quickly and can be cut up and added to breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes. 

• Price: $3.99

Take it from your esteemed writer who grew up eating kumato brown tomatoes: these tomatoes taste great and tend to be quite firm year-round. Try a sleeve for $3.99 to cut up and add to salads, tacos, toast and more dishes.

• Price: $3.99

Here’s the good and bad news about Cara Cara navel oranges. They’re beloved by the Trader Joe’s, but only available on a seasonal basis so you can’t pick up a bag year-round. Keep a perpetual $5 carved out in your grocery budget to ensure you can afford them when they’re back in the produce section.

• Price: $3.99

We’re not surprised the teeny tiny avocados were voted the fan-favorite at the 16th Annual Customer Choice Awards. 

Available in a six-count bag, these small but mighty avocados go the distance for garnishing every dish from sandwiches to tacos.

• Price: $2.79

Every type of crunchy green, including fresh broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts and red and green cabbage, comes inside the cruciferous crunch collection. And it’s available for less than $3 per bag? Now that’s a bargain.

• Price: $1.29 each

A single honeycrisp apple can cost as much as $1.50 up to $2.50 depending on the grocery store you shop at. Pocket the savings and pick up these crunchy apples at Trader Joe’s instead.

• Price: $0.23 each

Bananas are a must-buy at Trader Joe’s! Not only are they the store’s cheapest fresh produce at 23 cents apiece, but they’re regular fixtures at the Annual Customer Choice Awards as winners or runner-ups in the produce category. 

• Price: $4.99

The sublime ice cream sandwiches won first place in the “sweet treat” category at Trader Joe’s 16th Annual Customer Choice Awards and with good reason. It’s an elevated take on the ice cream sandwich — stuffing vanilla ice cream rolled in chocolate chips between two chocolate chip cookies — without paying a premium price.

• Price: $4.99

With 12 pre-cut lemon bars inside every box, shoppers only pay 42 cents for each frozen treat. Add a box to your freezer as a delectable dessert for entertaining guests year-round.

• Price: $3.99

No “best of” Trader Joe’s list is complete without the mini hold the cone! ice creams. 

Shoppers get a substantial eight mini ice creams in every box and a wide variety of flavors to choose from including chocolate, strawberry and even seasonal offerings like peppermint.

• Price: $4.99

The crispy potato and poblano pepper tacos were voted by shoppers as their fifth favorite “new” item during the 16th Annual Customer Choice Awards. 

Six tacos come inside every box to cook up in the oven or air fryer and serve with a side of guacamole or your favorite TJ salsa.

• Price: $4.79

The wildly popular chicken tikka masala is a freezer mainstay on those nights where you just don’t know what to cook (or have the time or energy to cook). 

And compared to similar chicken tikka masala dinners sold at Walmart or Bristol Farms, it’s a lot cheaper to shop for at Trader Joe’s.

• Price: $3.99

If your diet is meat-free, you’ll be delighted to find Trader Joe’s carries meatless breakfast sausage patties that are as flavorful as they are affordable. Add to your own homemade breakfast sandwich or pair alongside your favorite morning eats.

• Price: $3.99

Punch up a stir fry or ramen by adding Asian style vegetables. 

These frozen veggies come with stir fry sauce for added flavoring and can be preserved for awhile inside your freezer to cook now and at a later date.

• Price: $3.49

Why order takeout when you can cook steamed chicken soup dumplings for half the price at home? If you want to branch out into new flavors, try the steamed pork and ginger or vegetable soup dumplings for the same low price.

• Price: $2.99

The garlic shiitake green beans are an inexpensive, tasty side to accompany a larger main course like Thanksgiving dinner or a smaller rotisserie chicken during a typical weeknight dinner. As always, whatever doesn’t get eaten up can be saved for later in the freezer.

• Price: $2.99

Trader Joe’s hashbrowns (stylized all as one word) are regular fixtures in the Annual Customer Choice Awards and on breakfast tables everywhere thanks to their cheap price tag. Cook until they’re crispy in an air fryer or oven and let the whole household dig in.

• Price: $2.99

It’s an unspoken rule that every freezer needs to house a box (or two) of Joe’s Diner mac ‘n cheese in it. 

This popular comfort food answers the question “what should I have for dinner?” without resorting to ordering pricey takeout. 

• Price: $4.49

Even the pickiest eater in your household will love these vegetable spring rolls. Made with kale, edamame, mushrooms and shredded tofu, these five rolls cook up to crisp perfection in air fryers and ovens. 

Want some protein? Chicken spring rolls are also available at the same price.

• Price: $4.49

AKA a spinach and cheese pie, the Greek spanakopita has received runner-up mentions in the Annual Customer Choice Awards and plenty of feedback on Reddit for being delicious and filling enough for easy lunches and dinners.

• Price: $4.99

The price of organic cinnamon rolls can be as much as $10 (or more!) at big-box stores like Target. At Trader Joe’s, shoppers save a lot of money without sacrificing quantity (five rolls in every package) or quality (pumping up to jumbo size when baked) with their organic jumbo cinnamon rolls.

• Price: $3.99

Of the many bagged salad kits available in the prepared meals section, there’s something special about the harvest apple salad kit. It’s only available for a few months out of the year, but definitely worth buying and trying out for a slightly tart taste reminiscent of the autumn season.

• Price: $2.99

There are countless ways to enjoy the fresh bruschetta sauce from Trader Joe’s. 

Use it as a toast or baguette topping, pair with your favorite cheeses or put the bulk of the container to work as a simmering pasta sauce. You’ll run out quickly and be back to buy more before you know it.

• Price: $1.49

Try your hand at making pizza from scratch this year using Trader Joe’s plain pizza dough. 

There’s enough dough in a single bag to feed up to two people and the price per ounce is much cheaper than similarly sized dough sold elsewhere.

• Price: $4.29

Out of the many dips in the refrigerated section, the vegan tzatziki dip takes the cake for being affordably priced without sacrificing creamy, dairy-free taste. Add a container to your shopping cart to pair with veggies, chips or pita bread.

• Price: $3.49

It’s actually shocking how much you get in a single jar of cowboy caviar salsa for the price. Every jar comes loaded with corn, black beans and pepper for a tangy taste you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

• Price: $1.99

Keep a jar of tomato basil marinara sauce handy in your pantry for simple spaghetti or chicken parmesan dinners. 

It’s a couple dollars cheaper than brand names like Prego or Bertolli without sacrificing delicious, bright flavor.

• Price: $3.99

There are plenty of affordable cheeses to shop at Trader Joe’s, but those new to their selection should try the unexpected cheddar cheese. 

This cheese holds a coveted spot in their Product Hall of Fame where it won “best cheese” in 2023 and is versatile enough to add to a charcuterie board or whip up grilled cheese sandwiches. 

• Price: $4.99

The gluten free multigrain bread is one of two GF baked goods to make this list and costs a lot less than similar loaves sold at specialty markets like Sprouts. Use it to make an assortment of sandwiches, toast with your favorite spread or add to a bread pudding recipe.

• Price: $4.99

The focaccia bread with roasted tomato and parmesan has already gone viral on Instagram as the perfect bread for poolside sandwiches (or to enjoy at any time of the year, really!). 

The price barely makes our $5 cutoff with enough bread in every package to cut into fourths for sandwiches or use for appetizer purposes to upgrade weeknight dinners.

• Price: $4.49

Don’t judge a book by its cover, or the gluten free English muffins by their packaging. 

Each four-count bag of muffins can be used for traditional breakfast purposes or toasted burger buns for lunch and dinner.

Editor’s note: Prices and availability are accurate as of Jan. 5, 2026, and are subject to change.