It’s Back: The Trader Joe’s Find That Will Make Everything You Eat Taste Like Thanksgiving

When I was little, my family and I used to visit my grandmother every year on Thanksgiving. We’d eat lunch at a buffet with bottomless mashed potatoes, endless servings of turkey, ham, gravy, and stuffing, followed by an array of seasonal pies and desserts (of course). Once sufficiently stuffed, I marked the end of the festivities by stashing a few napkin-wrapped cookies in my mom’s purse for later. 

While we’re still figuring out how to (safely) celebrate this year, I’m going to bring those delicious holiday flavors to my own kitchen … starting now! I recently made my way to (where else?) Trader Joe’s to see what I could find in the Thanksgiving department. The store never lets me down when it comes to finding creative and delight-inspiring ingredients. I stopped in my tracks when I saw Trader Joe’s latest Everything but the Leftovers Seasoning Blend ($2.99 for 2.6 ounces) had reappeared in the seasoning aisle.

Of course, I had to grab a bottle immediately. Upon sampling, I rediscovered the exactness its stuffing-like taste, which makes sense after reading the ingredient list: Dehydrated onion, sea salt, ground back pepper, dried yeast, turmeric, dried celery seed, ground sage, rosemary powder, dried thyme, and dried parsley.

I recommend using Trader Joe’s Everything but the Leftovers seasoning blend to liven up traditional holiday dishes like roasted Brussels sprouts or carrots, or simply to give non-Thanksgiving dishes (like eggs and soup!) a holiday flare. My best tip, though? You might want to go get this seasoning soon — because it’s flying off the shelves. I had to visit two stores to find it!  

Here are a few ways that some of my fellow TJ’s fans are using this seasoning to spice up their meals all season long. 

Who doesn’t love a late brunch at home? Pair this breakfast hash with hot coffee and a Snuggie for the ideal Sunday afternoon nosh. Hearty, veggie-forward, comfort food is just what the crisp weather calls for.  

This recipe is for those people who would rather wait until lunch to break into the actual leftovers stash. Combine the Everything but the Leftovers with traditional breakfast sausage to make for a hearty, meat-lover’s breakfast. 

Everything but the Leftovers gives this lunchtime staple the homestyle flavor of stuffing. Here’s a post-holiday idea: Use turkey leftovers to turn this into an EBTL turkey salad!

Let’s be honest: We don’t want to eat leftovers all season long. This seasoning blend is versatile, though, so you can use it to flavor any kind of savory dish both through November and beyond. The best part of this soup recipe? Every single ingredient can be purchased at TJ’s.

This is a leftovers bonanza. Turn leftover roasted veggies plus Everything but the Leftovers into a gorgeous fall chowder.

Did you manage to snag a bottle yet? How are you using it?