Food & Drink

I Can’t Start My Mornings Without This $4 Trader Joe’s Find

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Public Service Announcement for my fellow Trader Joe’s fans who can’t start their mornings without caffeine to the face: If you see this jar of Instant Cold Brew Coffee in the coffee aisle (look for the bright-red cap!), put it into your cart immediately. Ever since this item launched in the fall of 2020, it’s earned itself a huge, loyal following. Unfortunately, all that star power means that it doesn’t last long on shelves.

For just $3.99 you get 3.5 ounces of a fine, dark powder made of 100% Arabica coffee beans. According to the Fearless Flyer, “Our supplier uses an all-natural, proprietary extraction method that took them over two years to develop.” Homemade, big-batch cold brew normally takes 18 to 24 hours to steep, but this extraction method yields results in seconds.

To prepare it, simply stir the serving suggestion of 1 teaspoon into 12 ounces of milk or water until dissolved. The end result is a truly instant cold brew coffee (seriously, it takes less than 30 seconds to whip up) with a satisfying layer of froth on top that mimics one you’d buy at a coffee shop. Take a look at mine (with a splash of oat milk):

If you follow the serving instructions on the back of the bottle (1 teaspoon + 12 ounces of water per glass), you’ll stretch this jar over 22 uses. I’ll do that math for you: That’s roughly 18 cents per iced cold brew. (A heck of a lot cheaper than buying one every day, right?) Full disclosure: I like my morning cup of (Trader) Joe (get it?) on the strong side, so I use closer to a tablespoon. That means less mileage per jar — but still a lot of bang for my buck.

Have you tried Trader Joe’s Instant Cold Brew Coffee? How do you prepare it?

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