Trader Joe's Cranberry Sauce

This is the fourth of ten consecutive days of reviews of the things Nina and I tried at our all-Trader-Joe's Thanksgiving meal. 


I had planned to buy either Trader Joe's fresh cranberry sauce or their cranberry-orange relish--both refrigerated products--as I have seen both of them praised by their fans many times. But when I got to the store Wednesday morning, the day before Thanksgiving, they were sold out of both! ARGH! The all-Trader-Joe's meal plan was in jeopardy! But a helpful employee apologized for the situation, and helpfully suggested that I try this instead, which he referred to as their "shelf-stabilized" cranberry sauce. I took it.

There's nothing in it except cranberries, sugar, water, and pectin--which led me to expect it to be like the famous canned cranberry sauce that comes out in a solid, gelatinous whole, with the indentations of the can still molded into it. Now, there's nothing wrong with that stuff; both Nina and I are among the millions who like it. But it's more like cranberry Jello than anything substantial, like, y'know, actual food.

This, surprisingly, was not like that. It has real cranberries in it, which makes a big difference in both taste and texture. You spoon it rather than slice it. It's an excellent accompaniment to the turkey-less roast we had.

Will I buy it again? 

Eventually, sure. But I buy cranberry sauce only about once a year, and I'm determined to try TJ's more-famous fresh products, so it will probably be a good long while before I revisit this one.

Nina's View

I LIKE cranberry sauce—jelly, really—out of the can (Ocean Spray FTW). It is the One True Accompaniment to a Thanksgiving meal.

This stuff has a nice flavor, but I don't enjoy the deflated tough cranberry skins in the mix. I've never liked those. Ever. This product did not change my mind on that question.

I am willing to try the various fresh relishes because those have a completely different texture and raison d'etre. I will not return to this cranberry sauce.