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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Trader Joe’s 2026 Customer Choice Awards name Garlic Butter Irish Potato Chips the store’s top snack, with four runners-up. That makes them the clearest current customer-choice pick—not a proven sales leader or a universal taste-test winner. The awards offer a useful shortlist; your best buy depends on what you like, what is in stock, and the price at your local store.
What Trader Joe’s customers chose in 2026
In its 17th annual Customer Choice Awards, published January 26, 2026, Trader Joe’s ranked Garlic Butter Irish Potato Chips first in the Snack category. The retailer says the chips were introduced the previous April, are made in Ireland from Irish potatoes, and have salted butter and garlic flavor. It describes them as crispy and crinkle-cut; those are the retailer’s product claims, not independent tasting notes. Read the 2026 Customer Choice Awards.
Trader Joe’s listed these four runners-up, in this order:
- Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers
- Ridge Cut Potato Chips Seasoned with Horseradish & Chives (seasonal)
- Patio Potato Chips (seasonal)
- World’s Puffiest White Cheddar Corn Puffs
The award identifies customer recognition, but Trader Joe’s does not provide a sales leaderboard or enough voting-method detail here to treat the ranking as a measure of sales or a definitive judgment of taste.
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#1 Best Overall
Which snacks have a longer track record?
Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips
Trader Joe’s says these rolled corn tortilla chips won Best Snack and Best Overall in each award year from 2022 through 2024. They entered the retailer’s Product Hall of Fame in January 2025. Repeated wins make them the strongest choice in this shortlist for shoppers looking for a snack with recognition across several years. See Trader Joe’s Product Hall of Fame.
Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets
Introduced in December 1992, the nuggets were inducted into the Product Hall of Fame in January 2023 as a Best Snack winner. Trader Joe’s describes them as a familiar sweet-and-salty staple. Their history makes them a legacy favorite, though it does not establish how they compare in a current taste test.
Rank #2
- Ideal for Gifting
- Ideal for a bookworm
- Compact for travelling
A sweet pick from the same awards
Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches
For shoppers who want dessert rather than a savory snack, Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches won the 2026 #1 Sweet Treat award. Trader Joe’s describes them as vanilla ice cream with chewy cookies and chocolate chips. That recognition and description can help you decide whether to look for them, but they are not a firsthand review.
How to choose what to try
- For the current award leader: Start with Garlic Butter Irish Potato Chips if salted butter and garlic sound appealing.
- For an established award favorite: Consider Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips, which earned the top snack and overall awards for three consecutive years.
- For a sweet-and-salty classic: Look for Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets, a Hall of Fame snack introduced in 1992.
- For a sweet treat: Add Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches to your list if their described combination of vanilla ice cream, cookies, and chocolate chips suits you.
- For seasonal options: Check first for the Horseradish & Chives Ridge Cut Potato Chips and Patio Potato Chips; Trader Joe’s labels both as seasonal.
If you are comparing snacks for value or taste, check the package size and shelf price at your store. Price per ounce, flavor balance, texture, and portion suitability can vary in importance by shopper; the available award information does not provide comparable prices, nutrition figures, or blind-test results.
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Trader Joe’s warns that not every product appears on its website and says a neighborhood store is the best place to get product information. The awards therefore cannot confirm local inventory or current shelf prices. Seasonal labels matter, and a store’s assortment may differ. Check with your local store before making a special trip. Trader Joe’s product catalog.
Editorial rankings from other publications can offer additional subjective perspectives, but they are not interchangeable with a customer-choice award. Sporked published a Trader Joe’s snack roundup on November 12, 2025, and PureWow published its 2025 ranking on May 13, 2025. Neither establishes a universal best snack, and neither is a substitute for a consistent, firsthand comparison.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- It can be a gift option
- Comes with secure packaging
- Helpful in various ways
Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
