This Cute Trader Joe's Chocolate Snack Is One Of Its Best New Products In 2026, According To Shoppers

Some Trader Joe's products are iconic in their enduring popularity. For instance, TJ's fans can't get enough of its dark chocolate peanut butter cups, which were inducted into the chain's official Hall of Fame in 2023. Now, there's a sweet newcomer that's arguably vying for the cups' fandom. Behold: Milk chocolate sardines with sea salt, a candy some shoppers are calling one of the best new Trader Joe's items in 2026.

Don't be alarmed — there's no fish in this adorable dessert. These are individually wrapped, sardine-shaped milk chocolates. They're crafted by a Slovakian chocolatier, who adds salt for balance. Their foil wrappers are a nod to sardines' metallic color, not to mention the typical tins real sardines are packed in. Salt is also a tasty homage to the briny water sardines live in.

Customers adore the product; in fact, they often go out of stock from selling so well, although shoppers reported they're allegedly being brought back for good. "I got these today and really enjoyed them. Not too sweet for a milk chocolate with a noticeable crunch of salt. I included them as a dessert for a tinned fish spread dinner," one Reddit user wrote. "The packaging for these enhances the joy of eating them. So cute and so delicious!" added another. "A good price point for a high-quality chocolate snack. They taste like salted dark chocolate. I know they're milk chocolate, but the flavor is deeper than most," said a third.

As outlandish as Trader Joe's fish-shaped chocolates may seem, they're very trendy. Tinned fish has been gaining popularity since the 2020s, bringing elevated options that go far beyond standard tuna. Sardines are arguably king, as they've recently become the second-most popular tinned fish (via Business Insider) and thanks to tinned fish having a moment on TikTok, they became the star of 2025's "sardine summer." As for chocolate sardines, they've existed since early 20th-century Europe.

They're tasty in their simplicity. Ingredients include sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, sea salt, natural flavor, and sunflower lecithin, an emulsifier. There are eight pieces per box (equaling four servings) for $3.29. Two chocolates contain 150 calories, 11 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbs, 10 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Despite the candy's success, some customers find it overrated, strange, or confusing. "Dunno, the chocolate's not that great, IMO. It tastes like Russell Stover chocolate," one Redditor said. "It's terrible branding and packaging. I have to imagine a lot of people think that these are chocolate-covered sardines at first glance," added another. "It's just clickbait," suggested a third shopper. "This is how I found out my 5-year-old does not like salted chocolate. 'They are too sour,' [they said]," joked a fourth. Nevertheless, we think they're worth tasting for yourself.