Trader Joe's New Chickenless Stir Fry Is Not Impressing Fans

Normally, Trader Joe's plant-based items get a lot of hype. Its beefless bulgogi, which was just brought into stores earlier this year, is one example of this. However, the same cannot be said about its new chickenless riced cauliflower stir fry, which recently made appearances in stores. This new frozen food item contains pineapple, cauliflower rice, and chickenless plant-based morsels, racking up seven grams of protein per serving and 17 grams of the macronutrient per container. It is also both gluten-free and vegan, allowing it to fit into a variety of different dietary needs. 

In the past, Trader Joe's shoppers have loved cauliflower rice dishes, such as this Spicy Mexican-Style Riced Cauliflower frozen meal, that could be paired with a variety of different toppings. But this time, things have taken a different turn. This new food item has received a lot of flack on the joint post by @traderjoeslist and @traderjoesglutenfree, which asks customers, "Will you be adding this to your Trader Joe's List?" 

For many users, the answer was no.

In the comments section of the Instagram post, many people expressed their disdain for the new product. They had reasons for disliking it, ranging from the meal's nutritional content to its actual taste. One user wrote, "If only they made it free of added sugar." Another follower then added to the comment, "And free of seed oils." Others weren't enthused about the meatless chicken itself. "Honestly the worst thing I ever bought at TJ. The 'chicken' tastes like sponges and it's a tasteless soggy mess!" wrote one upset shopper.

Another user commented about the actual riced cauliflower element of the dish. They wrote, "I have not found a single riced cauliflower dish of any kind that actually tasted good. Ready for this trend to disappear." The positive comments on this post were limited, but for the people who did enjoy this dish, it was usually thanks to the addition of sauces or the mode of preparation. For instance, one shopper wrote, "I see a lot of dislike here, but I honestly LOVED this topped with a little soy sauce and chili oil," which received four likes in agreement. 

So curious Trader Joe's fans may not necessarily need to write off this dish entirely, but also should keep in mind the divisiveness of this food item.