7 Amazing Items To Buy From Trader Joe’s Before New Year’s
Written by
Laura Bogart
Edited by
Kristen Mae
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The final weeks of the year are a prime party season. As the special occasions pile up, you’re realizing you need a plethora of potluck goodies, items for your own home and body, and snacks to get you through the holidays. That rumble you’re hearing isn’t your hungry tummy — it’s your angry wallet. But your budget can also enjoy the days before New Year’s: You’re a Trader Joe’s shopper.
At Trader Joe’s, you can find plenty of items to get you through the end of the year in fine flavor and fine style. Whether they’re for your belly, your home, your skin or even your pets, these treats will make you the host with the most, the guest everyone adores or simply help you feel happier in your own home. GOBankingRates grabbed a few of the most amazing items this season.
1. Surimi Imitation Crabmeat: $3.99
Seafood is a common treat during the holiday season. Whether you want to show off your skills with that sushi-making kit you got for Christmas or simply offer unique options for your cracker spread on New Year’s Eve, Trader Joe’s has you covered with this imitation crab meat. Described as one of Trader Joe’s most prevalent customer requests, this surimi is convenient to serve and packed with protein — helping your guests stick to any wellness goals even before New Year’s.
2. Fully Cooked Spiral-Sliced Uncured Half Ham: $6.49 per pound
The holiday season is when many people — including the guests at your table — rediscover their love of ham. You can feed them well with this antibiotic-free half ham that hasn’t been pumped full of extra salt or nitrates. As a spiral-sliced ham, it’s easier to cut. Best of all, it comes fully cooked, so you’ll only need to warm it at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 15 minutes per pound, or roughly two hours total.
3. Freeze-Dried Strawberry Pieces: $4.99
Put them in your holiday candy dish, use them as toppers for your New Year’s Eve dessert bar or snack on them instead of reaching for another sugar cookie — these freeze-dried strawberry pieces are versatile. They’re tart and sweet, making them the perfect treat for the winter doldrums. Oh, and if you happen to take in a movie over winter break, they’re perfect in movie theater popcorn as well.
4. Organic Black Pepper Barilotti Pasta: $2.99
Want to impress your party guests with some culinary brilliance? This organic black pepper barilotti pasta offers a unique spin on a traditional hearty winter food. The pasta resembles little ribbed casks, and each piece comes with a spicy, even citrusy flavor meant to warm the spirit and the body alike. This black pepper pasta pairs well with Alfredo sauce or a tomato basil sauce.
5. Jingle Jangle for Dogs: $4.49
The Jingle Jangle has been a sweet treat for humans for years, so Trader Joe’s decided to let its canine customers in on the fun with a version that swaps out chocolate for peanut butter, carob and bacon-flavored biscuits in dog-approved shapes like bones, stars, circles and pretzels.
These treats — which are perfect as training treats, between-meal snacks or even rewards for being cute — are generally available once a year, so now is the time to grab them. The tin is also so adorable that you’ll probably want to keep it around to store their regular treats.
6. Cinnamon Roll Flavored Lip Mask: $5.99
New Year’s Eve typically means a New Year’s kiss — whether it’s from your crush or your kiddos, you still want your lips to be soft and smoochable. Fortunately, you can still snap up this moisturizing lip mask in a delectable cinnamon roll flavor before the end of the year. It’s a limited-time item, so you should get it now before you can, well, kiss it goodbye.
7. Ketchup-Flavored Lattice Potato Chips: $3.49
If you’re hosting a New Year’s Eve party, you need a crowd-pleasing snack. And nothing pleases a party crowd like a big ol’ bowl of potato chips. If those chips come with a tangy ketchup flavor that perfectly blends salty and sweet, even better. So load up on these ketchup flavored lattice potato chips now.
Editor’s note: Pricing and availability may vary. Prices are accurate as of Dec. 17, 2025.
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