Just trying a different format here. Most of this review was done on the fly in the YouTube video below, but I'll throw out some bullet points in this written post.
Pros: plenty of chicken sausage. Convenient. Filling. Product has a nice blend of salt and pepper flavors in the background.
Cons: the sausage comes in huge slabs rather than crumbled, and it has too much fennel flavor. There's not enough cheddar cheese. The plastic film didn't want to come off of the bowl easily. $4.29 is a little too much money considering the size and quality of the product.
If you're in a pinch, it'll do the job for a quick and easy breakfast (or lunch) particularly if you're super hungry. Probably wouldn't buy Trader Joe's Chicken Sausage Breakfast Bowl again.
I realize we're a little late to the party with these mango sticky rice crisps, but we've had a bag sitting in the pantry waiting for review for a month or two now, so better late than never, right? They're still a long ways before their expiration date, and they've been sealed up the whole time. I assume this review will be relevant for summer 2025 and beyond...or will TJ's discontinue the item?
Hard to say. Speaking of "hard," these circular snacks are somewhat hard to chew. The rice is fine. It's crispy and brittle just like you'd assume from a rice "crisp" or a rice cake. But the mango is dried and it's pretty tough. Fortunately, most of the pieces are very small. They're like pebble-sized pieces of mango infused into discs that are roughly quarter-sized in terms of diameter and about a quarter inch thick.
The flavor is amazing. It's very similar to real mango sticky rice. The sweetness level is just about perfect and there's plenty of mango taste. There's even real mung beans and coconut milk in the mix. No complaints there.
Unfortunately, half the pleasure of mango sticky rice is the soft, creamy texture. It can be somewhat chewy, but there's nothing tough or leathery in the original dish. I feel like a jerk being critical of such a delicious snack, but I just wish there were some way to soften those mango pieces a bit. I'd almost prefer a refrigerated version that used fresh mango instead of dried mango.
Still, if you have mandibles of steel or a really great dental plan, I won't tell you not to buy these because they taste great. I'll go with something like 7 out of 10 because the flavor would get a 9 and the texture'd be more like a 5.
Sonia gives Trader Joe's Mango Sticky Rice Crisps seven out of ten as well, but she's not quite as thrilled with the taste as I am. $3.29 for the resealable 4.5 oz bag. Product of Thailand.
