Trader Joe's Fried Olive Bites Are Too Salty For Instagram

When Trader Joe's debuted Fried Olive Bites in 2020, Instagram fell in love. "There are the absolute best, keep these in rotation," one user wrote on the Oct. 20, 2020 @TraderJoe'sList Instagram post that featured the new item. Another begged the popular grocery chain to bring them back the next year, "Please notify me immediately if these come back this year xoxo." Fans of this product came out swinging with dipping sauce ideas, from romesco to aioli to vegan cauliflower ranch. The possibilities seemed endless.

The success of this quick and easy one-bite appetizer may have been a reasonable indication that people would fall in love all over again when they restocked them in 2022. An Instagram post by @TraderJoe'sList on Monday announced that this crispy, crunchy, cheesy frozen appetizer was back on shelves. "You will olive them," the post quipped in the caption. But input in the comment section suggests otherwise.

Trader Joe's Fried Olive Bites were an instant hit on Instagram when they first hit store shelves, according to comments on a 2020 post by @TraderJoe'sList. But this year, something has changed.

When a new post by @TraderJoe'sList announced the relaunch of Fried Olive Bites on Monday, customers had a lot to say in the comment section, and it wasn't all positive. "These are waaaay too salty," wrote one commenter. Many others echoed that opinion. "I thought these were insanely salty!" another contributed. The comment section does include a sprinkle of folks who tried the item, loved it, and applauded Trader Joe's for bringing it back.

Fried Olive Bites retail for $4.49 per package. Each eight ounce-package includes 12 olive bites, each made from Castelvetrano or Kalamata Olives, according to Trader Joe's website. The bites have a mixture of Roquefort, mascarpone, and cream cheese in the center. The bites themselves are battered in panko breadcrumbs and fried. These frozen bites require 10 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees.