Trader Joe’s Lightly Sweetened Coconut Strips
Posted: February 21, 2013 Filed under: Coconut, Fruit, Snacks, Trader Joe's Brand | Tags: Coconut, lightly sweetened, strips 15 Comments
Gaze upon the coconut tree landscape of the label and be soothed
Ever since the first time I saw a coconut, that summer evening when my father came through the door with this large, brown, sloshing nut, gathered us kids around and proceeded to dismantle it with a power drill, I’ve been drawn to the enigmatic drupe of the tropics. As the power drill story illustrates, however, it’s not very easy to incorporate coconut into one’s diet. As such, I’m a sucker for new approaches to the fruit, and was eager to taste test this brand new item.
Unfortunately, Trader Joe’s Lightly Sweetened Coconut Strips is a close miss at best. Coconut is one of those polarizing foods that cab lead people to violent dispute. I myself have mixed feelings on coconut. I want to love it, I want it to be everything I hope it to be – exotic, refreshing, tasty – but sometimes I’m forced to face facts and admit that it falls short. Which, in this case, it does.
The coconut strips falter in two big departments – taste and texture, texture being the more grievous error. The taste is not bat exactly but the sweetness comes on too stridently. Though only “lightly” sweetened, the added sugar overpowers and clashes with the mild, subtly salty, tropical taste of the coconut flesh. The texture, not to mince words, is a little bit like a firm eraser. There’s such a thing as a pleasant chewiness and a firm tooth feel, but this offers neither. The texture is much too tough and rubbery to make chewing on the thick strips enjoyable.
Overall, the coconut strips feel like a rough draft of a better product. The potential for a delicious snack is in there somewhere, but as it stands this is the sort of party food that everyone tastes once and doesn’t come back to.
Would I Recommend It: Not really.
Would I Buy It Again: Perhaps, if someday my craving for coconut manages to overpower my good sense.
Final Synopsis: Too tough, too sweet.
Eating At Joes 
I love the weirdness of this product. It’s fun to eat. Big hit at a party with gluten free and lactose intolerant people. Bring it back please!
i love it also….IT IS THE BEST…THEY CAN’T KEEP ENOUGH ON THE SHELVES….AWESOME PRODUCT..I USUALLY GET 10 BAGS AT ONCE !!!!!
I LOVE THIS PRODUCT. WENT TO TRADER JOES TODAY FOR MORE AND THEY WERE SOLD OUT. THEY SAID IT WOULD BE BACK IN JULY BUT CALL FIRST TO MAKE SURE. PLEASE DONT CANCEL THIS PRODUCT, I WANT MORE COCONUT.
My TJ’s has been out of it too and I’m dying for more. I love the chewy texture and have to be careful not to heat the whole bag at one sitting (I live about 45 min out of town and it’s easy to be digging into an empty bag well before I pull into my driveway.) Please, Trader Joe, keep this product in stock!!!
I have an addiction to these coconut strips. I haven’t found anything that is a better snack than this. I dream about them, and my stock pile is alarmingly low. Please bring these back!
It has now been almost a full YEAR since you could get these at Trader Joes…I’ve been on their Notify Me list ever since…WTF?!!!
I think Trader Joe’s lightly sweetened coconut strips are SO DELDELICIOUS, I am absolutely addicted to them! I hope they were bring then back!!!!!
Please bring these back! We don’t have a TJs where I live and I travel semi-frequently to the closest one which is 4 hours away. I have been disappointed the last few times because I can’t get any coconut strips! I love them – both the texture and the taste!!
Loved these. Great snack while working at the computer.
These are so yummy to snack on. The texture is perfect and not too sweet.
I brought these for a long plane ride and road trip. They were a big hit with all but one in our group who felt they were a bit too sweet. Unfortunately TJ’s has them as a seasonal product and the three stores within 30 miles of me are sold out.
I thought these were perfect. I haven’t had too much real coconut right out of a coconut shell so I can’t really compare it to that but it is way better than the bags of sweetened coconut you buy at the grocery store and use in baking. Close enough to me to the real thing, not overly sweet and a delicious snack.
Can I order this by the case?
For me the chewy texture is the point. I love gnawing on something that leaves my jaw a bit achy afterward. It’s extremely satisfying. Plus, coconut!
We went the Henderson, NV store today 03/07/17, they are out of stock. The beard clerk said they were seasonal, while same products were sold on Amazon. It seems there is something going on besides the inventory problem.