Trader Joe's Shoppers Are Pumped To Try Its New Lentil And Chickpea Snack
For a grocery store that offers significantly fewer items than other market chains (around 4,000 against a supermarket average of 50,000, according to Fortune), almost every aisle at Trader Joe's is teeming with snacks. Inventory varies from store to store, but it's not uncommon to spot an array of snappy tea cookies, boxes of meringues, or bags of seasonal gummy candies floating above a row of frozen shrimp or a display of ready-to-bake pizzas. We can assume that most people in TJ's are doing a standard grocery run, but there will always be a few shoppers who are just trying to find something new to munch on between meals.
Trader Joe's latest snack — a thin and crispy-looking cracker inspired by Indian papadum — is made with lentils, chickpeas, and a special kind of oil that Instagram account @traderjoeslist is touting as a healthy alternative to the kinds used in other chips. Based on the comments, shoppers seem eager to scour Trader Joe's chip department to get their hands on a bag or two.
Rice bran oil makes for a healthier crisp
The May 3 Instagram post on @traderjoeslist shows a purple bag of Trader Joe's new Papadums Lentil and Chickpea Crisps, named after the deep-fried Indian cracker often used as a vessel for carrying sauces, chutneys, pickles, and curries from plate or bowl to mouth (via Saucy Dressings). The caption says the crisps are made with rice bran oil, which contains zero trans fats and a handful of vitamins and antioxidants, according to Healthline.
Shoppers seem excited to try the new vegan and gluten-free snack, but some are worried it will already be sold out at their local Trader Joe's. "Are these gonna be impossible to find like the onion rings?" writes one user, alluding to TJ's crunchy Sour Cream & Onion flavored rings (which, coincidentally, are also made with lentils). "I better buy a case cause whenever something is that good they discontinue it on me," writes another. Then there are the lucky early birds who've already tried the new crisps. "I got these today and I had some leftover dal," began one commenter, who added, "I heated it up and dipped these crackers into it and it was *fire emoji*." Still, whether this newcomer is destined to stay on Trader Joe's shelves is anyone's guess.