Trader Joes

The Trader Joe’s PB&C Snack Duo earns a green leaf rating of 1/5 on our website, which signifies the lowest recommendation for cleaner food options. This product is a combination of chocolate wafer sticks and a peanut butter dip, appealing to those seeking a convenient snack.

This snack duo is not organic, and it does not use non-GMO ingredients, which detracts significantly from its overall score. The presence of added sugars, specifically cane sugar, further reduces its rating. Cane sugar appears twice in the ingredient list, first as part of the choco wafer sticks and then within the peanut butter dip. The inclusion of potentially harmful additives, labeled as natural flavors, also impacts the score negatively.

The choco wafer sticks contain several ingredients that contribute to the low score, including cane sugar, wheat flour, and cocoa powder processed with alkali. These components, along with coconut oil and egg powder, form the wafer component of the snack. The peanut butter dip consists of roasted peanuts, sheanut oil, cane sugar, sea salt, and sunflower lecithin, which combines to create the dip that accompanies the wafers.

The presence of sheanut oil and sunflower lecithin in the peanut butter dip is notable. Sheanut oil, while a plant-based fat, is not a common ingredient in many peanut butter products. Sunflower lecithin acts as an emulsifier but is less concerning than some of the other ingredients listed.

Given the factors assessed, including the lack of organic certification, use of GMOs, added sugars, and potentially harmful additives, this product receives the lowest possible recommendation. The Trader Joe’s PB&C Snack Duo is not aligned with the goal of providing cleaner food options, and consumers looking for healthier choices are advised to consider alternative products that better meet these criteria.