The New Trader Joe's Snack Instagram Can't Get Enough Of

Trader Joe's may be a California-based grocery chain, but the popular store is definitely a destination with a global gastronomic point of view. Walk down one aisle and discover the Mediterranean flavors from Greece, like the store's quinoa stuffed dolmas. Stroll down another and your tastebuds might decide they are more in the mood for the grocer's Thai offerings, like its Thai lime & chili cashews or the retailer's popular microwavable vegetable Pad Thai. Looking for a unique dessert? Instagram followers couldn't stop talking about the return of TJ's Japanese-inspired ube mochi. 

In fact, the Trader Joe's product du jour that has social media excited is a snack that hails from South America, specifically Colombia and Venezuela. This snack is a riff on arepas. AllRecipes describes arepas as "stuffed cornmeal cakes," usually with cheese, but not always. Minimalist Baker notes these corncakes are generally pan-fried, giving them a crispy exterior and a soft interior, almost like a sweet grilled cheese. According to shoppers on IG, Trader Joe's now has a version of this South American snack, and people certainly seem excited about it. 

Per an Instagram post from Trader Joe's List, the social media grocery store influencer spotted boxes of corn & cheese arepas in the frozen food section at their local Trader Joe's. The IGer wrote, "CORN & CHEESE AREPAS, $3.49. Imagine a grilled cheese but with denser, chewier, sweet corn bread as the bread. That's essentially how these arepas taste! They're so delicious and welcome any add your tastebuds desire: avocado, bacon or _______. Of course you can always enjoy them as is! With 2 per box this is the perfect sharing size!"

The post has racked up over 8k likes and lots of TJ fans are sharing their feelings about these arepas. One wrote, "Loved these with some BBQ pulled beef." While another echoed those feelings, offering, "Love these and so does my 6 month old! Turned out awesome in the airfryer." The fact that they are gluten free also had followers happy, with one sharing, "This is a staple for me #glutenfree. My TJs was out for a while and I was heartbroken."

Are these TJ arepas really that good? A review by Freezer Meal Frenzy goes so far as to call them "amazing." The reviewer writes that while they take a bit of time to make, "the corn-based sweetness and mozzarella stretchiness work together to create an incredible snack food."