Trader Joe's Newest Freezer Find Is A Must-Buy For Under $5

Let's face it – 2020 has us all craving some comfort foods and snacky goodness. As usual, Trader Joe's has a solution for under $5. Introducing TJ's new Fried Olive Bites. According to our favorite grocery vendor, these frozen treats are being introduced especially for the holidays (via Trader Joe's). Fortunately for us, they didn't specify which holidays are included, so we can stuff our faces with green Castelvetrano olives from Italy and dark purple Kalamatas from Greece covered in a light battered with panko bread crumbs and crisped in the oven. These treats literally ooze cheese, too – cream cheese to be specific.

It should probably be noted that the "fried" part of the description means that TJ's fried these treats in preparation. All you need to do at home is pop them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. For those who need to know, the product warns that it contains milk, eggs, and wheat. There are 12 "bites" per package making a serving size of 4 pieces at 210 calories. A package of olive bites will cost you $4.49.

Sounds good, but what do shoppers think?

Apparently salty, crunchy, cheesy goodness is just what we needed for a pick me up. One excited reader describes, "I gained one pound just reading about these. I must have them in spite of the weight gain [tears and laughing emoji]" (via Instagram). And did we mention crunchy? Users immediately suggested putting these treats in the air fryer and the crispy cooking did not disappoint. The specifics will vary, but testers suggested using a lining of parchment paper and cooking at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes. 

On to the next big question – what kind of sauce should you use for dipping? Fortunately, readers had some excellent suggestions here serving a wide variety of tastes (via Instagram). You might try your bites with a Romesco or an aioli. Investigate different flavors with an Italian bomba hot pepper sauce, Tzatziki, or hummus. Garlic sauce, marinara, vegan cauliflower ranch, and sweet chili sauce were other ideas. Did you already eat them and not try a sauce? You won't be alone as another user commented, "they were so good I didn't dip them in anything but will after reading this string!"

So snack 'em, squeeze and cheese 'em, crunch 'em, or pop 'em whole – this affordable snack should be a great addition to any holiday meal and budget.