Nothing beats a good dip with your favorite crackers or veggies. For our fourth issue of The Joe Show, we picked four of the most unique dips we saw at our local Trader Joe’s and tried them with pita chips and baby c\rrots (also from Trader Joe’s, of course) to let you know which ones are worth buying. 

Garlic and Asiago Cheese Dip

SA: I was looking forward to an oozing, bubbling, and delicious cheese dip spiced with the warmth of garlic. However, the cheese dip wasn’t what I had hoped for. It honestly became cold quickly, and the texture was oddly grainy. I wasn’t able to get the perfect pairing I had hoped for. The edges became a little bit burnt and crispy, while the rest of the dip had a rough consistency. I don’t see myself getting this in the future, but I like the idea of a warm dip. (4/10)

SV: Since this was the only hot dip on our list, I was very excited to see how this would taste and whether the extra prep time was worth it. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. We followed the instructions and heated the dip for around fifteen minutes, but it still wasn’t melted and tasted very grainy. It was hard to scoop out the best parts of the melted cheese with both the pita chips and carrots. I don’t think I would purchase this again, but if I did, I would definitely heat it for much longer than the instructions suggest. (5/10)

Everything but the Bagel Greek Style Yogurt Dip

SA: I love the “Everything but the Bagel” seasoning mix as well as the chips, so I was really excited to try out a dip version. I enjoy yogurty dips like tzatziki, and this dip was unlike any others! There was a good balance between the saltiness and pungency of the seasoning and the creaminess of the yogurt, which softened the mix of flavors. Combined with a crunchy pita chip or carrot, it creates a delicious bite that complements whatever you choose to enjoy your dip with. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely purchase it again! (10/10)

SV: Trader Joe’s has a popular line of products designed for everything bagel lovers, called “Everything but the Bagel,” which features seasoning, crackers, trail mix, and most recently, this yogurt dip. While I am not the biggest fan of everything bagels, I love greek yogurt and this dip is so soft and creamy. It paired perfectly with both the pita chips and carrots and I would definitely go buy it again. The actual everything bagel flavor wasn’t super strong though, which may be an issue for some. (9.5/10)

Crunchy Chili Onion Hummus

SA: I’ve purchased the crunchy chili oil before, which I would definitely recommend! I’ve also had the red bell pepper hummus. So, combining my staple products into one was a promising venture. I thought the chili crunch was a little sharp at times, but the hummus was rich and flavorful. I liked the balance between the kick from the chili and the almost nutty flavor from the hummus. It tasted incredible with the pita chips and the carrot, and I can also see myself spreading this on a toast sometime soon. I liked the dip overall! (7/10)

SV: I was looking forward to this one because I love both hummus and chili oil, but I’ve never had them together. The dip looks like a regular container of hummus with a scoop of chili onion mixture in the middle, so I would definitely suggest mixing them together because otherwise, it’s hard to get both amazing flavors at once! The chili onion was spicy but delicious and with the more bland hummus, created the perfect flavorful dip. This dip was so good with the pita chips and I will definitely be buying more very soon. (8.5/10)

Pimento Cheese Dip

SA: I was hoping for a rich, cheesy consistency in this dip, but I was left disappointed with chunks of shredded cheese half-heartedly incorporated throughout the mixture. There was no strong flavor from either the pimento or the cheese. It became a goopy mess and was rather difficult to enjoy with the chips or carrots. I think I could try to spice it up by adding some of my own seasonings since the base isn’t too bad, but I’m rather disappointed with Trader Joe himself. (3/10)

SV: Even though the Pimento Cheese Dip looked like it would be spicy, it was more bland and runny than anything. I didn’t enjoy the texture of the shredded cheese throughout the dip, and in general, I wish it had been a thicker consistency and more flavorful. Moreover, it was hard to scoop the shredded cheese pieces on the pita chips and almost impossible to get any dip with the carrots. I was really disappointed to not have liked any of the cheese dips we tried, and I would not recommend buying this dip. (3/10)