Party Size Mini Meatballs

Price: $4.79

Rating: 7.5/10

These meatballs are a mix of beef and pork and are great for party appetizers, or just a quick meal. I've bought them several times, and I usually use them for BBQ meatballs of some kind, along with one of TJ's barbecue sauces. I've never tried them in pasta, but I assume they'd be good there too. My only beef with these meatballs (see what I did there?) is that you can easily overcook them in the over or toaster oven if you cook them too long, or don't turn them over in the middle of cooking. But if you're looking for something quick to whip up, making some of these and then tossing them in some barbecue sauce is a great way to make a fast meal.

Gyro Slices

Price: $3.99 (makes about 3–4 sandwiches/wraps)

Rating: 9/10

I've always been a fan of gyros. Any kind of gyros. Greek gyros, North African style gyros, Middle Eastern style gyros. If it's a gyro, I will eat it, and I will eat it with great excitement. The first year that I lived in New York I would eat gyros eat least 4–5 meals per week from my favorite street card in Herald Square (we mostly have the Middle-Eastern inspired kind here). So when I saw a photo of these hit the Frequent Flyer last summer I almost lost my mind with excitement. I went to Trader Joe's multiple times before I finally scored two glorious packages of Gyro Slices after probably 3 weeks of searching every TJ's in all of New York City.

Did they live up to the hype I'd created in my mind? Oh my god, yes! These gyros are a mix of beef and lamb, and taste exactly like what you'd get at any good Greek place. If you're skeptical about the beef part, and thinking "aren't gyros usually lamb?", most places in the US seem to mix the two since lamb in the US can have a gamey flavor due to the breed of lamb raised here (they use a different breed in North Africa and the Middle East that doesn't have that gamey flavor). I made mine with some pita bread, three gyro slices, red onion, tomato, and some Trader Joe's Tzatziki Creamy Garlic Cucumber Dip. Tip: Be careful not too cook them too long so they don't get hard and burnt since they're super thin slices.

I bought two boxes of these when I first found them, and ate them both in less than two weeks. I actually would sit at work and think about how excited I was about going home and making one for dinner. I've since starting keeping them stocked in the freezer for whenever the mood strikes.