The 3 Trader Joe's Products Hoda Kotb And Jenna Hager Always Grab

Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager have sampled quite a few interesting eats on NBC's morning show, "Today," during their years together. Just ask Joel Gamoran, who was a chef for the morning show for a decade, or check out this YouTube clip of Kotb and Bush Hager deciding whether trending drinks are "Yuck or Yum." The duo's on-air chemistry and off-screen friendship led to some entertaining banter and lots of great food recommendations. Take, for example, Jenna Bush Hager's ultimate comfort food, queso, which she even prepared and brought to the studio.

And then, there was the time Bush Hager and Kotb went back and forth about their favorite Trader Joe's products. The three items, all from TJ's frozen section, include soup dumplings (which Bush's daughter requested for her 10th birthday), crispy tilapia fillets (Kotb likes to air fry them until they are perfectly crispy), and the all-time favorite dark-chocolate-covered banana slices.

Trader Joe's steamed soup dumplings are a take on classic Chinese xiao long bao — essentially, dumplings filled with ground meat and hot soup. While traditionally steamed, TJ's version comes frozen and can be quickly reheated in the microwave, or you can go the extra step and steam-fry the frozen dumplings for the best results.

While originally introduced in chicken flavor, Trader Joe's also offers a pork and ginger variety that's quickly garnered a fan following. In addition to praise from Jenna Bush Hager (and her daughter), fans on Reddit have complimented the savory item, with one poster writing, "This is one of my favorite items at Trader Joe's ... the perfect ratio of ginger and pork." Note that Trader Joe's (by the grocery chain's own admission) has gone heavy on the ginger spice in the pork dumplings. For a milder flavor, pick up the chicken soup dumplings instead.

Although seafood at Trader Joe's can be hit or miss, these tender tilapia fillets were a winner and garnered quite the following over the years. Covered in a generous coating of panko breadcrumbs for a perfect crunch that doesn't detract from the fish's delicate flavor, these frozen filets are a perfect snack or starting point for any number of dishes, including quick and easy fish tacos. Hoda Kotb likes to air-fry them, which produces results her former co-host, Jenna Bush Hager, compares to eating fish sticks (but better because they are whole fillets instead of ground fish). 

Unfortunately, TJ's frozen tilapia seems to have gradually disappeared from the chain's frozen food section — something more and more customers have pointed out. "I'm not seeing much, if any, frozen fish like I did before. My favorite Tilapia has been missing for months," says one disappointed shopper on Reddit. Considering the product no longer shows up on Trader Joe's website, it's difficult to say when or if this favorite will return. You can still find alternative frozen fish fillets that are crispy enough to make a McDonald's Fillet-o-Fish copycat. Or simply pick up a box of Gorton's fish sticks, which many have voted as the best around.

Unlike the tilapia fillets, it's unlikely that Trader Joe's frozen chocolate-covered banana slices are going anywhere anytime soon. Sold as Gone Bananas!, these were initially packaged as whole chocolate-covered bananas before the grocery chain decided to divide them into individual slices. 

Like the "Today" show duo's other favorites from Trader Joe's, Gone Bananas! is a freezer essential that's wholesome enough to snack on and delicious enough to be a treat. In fact, this is one of those Trader Joe's products that even a registered dietician picks up. While they're a great addition to smoothies and desserts, most fans like to eat them straight out of the box. "They are delicious dipped in peanut butter! That's my go to snack!" states one Redditor. 

Interestingly, Hoda Kotb, who also makes chocolate covered bananas at home, has a long-standing fondness for the combination of banana and chocolate. In a 2016 episode of "Today," featuring her and then guest-host Jenna Bush Hager's favorite things, Kotb picked Magnolia Bakery's chocolate banana pudding.