Trader Joe’s: Candy Cane Green Tea

Last Updated on January 3, 2019

I love to drink tea, and I’m a sucker for holiday flavors. I like Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane tea. I also like Aldi’s Benner Tea Co. Candy Cane Tea, which shows up sometimes as a holiday Special Buy (ALDI Find). Then, when I was recently at Aldi’s distant cousin’s store, Trader Joe’s, I discovered they also sell holiday tea. I picked up a box of Trader Joe’s Candy Cane Green Tea.

Trader Joe’s 1.4-oz. box of tea has 20 bags that are not individually sealed (which produces less waste and, therefore, makes the environment a little happier). It sold for $1.99 at the time of publication. That comes out to about 10 cents per serving. In contrast, Aldi’s candy cane tea is $1.89 for a 1.34-oz. box of 20 bags (which are individually packaged in plastic wrapping, which is off putting to some environmentally conscious customers). So the prices between the two stores are very similar.

The Trader Joe’s tea box describes this as a blend of “some of our favorite holiday flavors like refreshing peppermint, vanilla and cinnamon with a naturally decaffeinated rich green tea.”

Ingredients are: peppermint, decaffeinated green tea, orange peel, natural flavors, cinnamon, milk thistle seed, blackberry leaves, roasted carob pods, vanilla beans, roasted chicory (chicory root, soybean oil, water).

To make the tea, the box instructs to bring fresh water to just below boiling. It says “using slightly cooler water to brew green tea results in a smoother, more delicate flavor.” Pour the hot water directly over a tea bag in an 8-oz. mug and let steep for three minutes. Remove the tea bag and add milk and/or sweetener if desired.

The box the tea comes in is printed on 100% recycled paperboard (35% post-consumer material).

This tea has a nice mint flavor, with sweet undertones of vanilla. It tastes similar to Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane tea. I prefer this Trader Joe’s variety and the Celestial Seasonings flavor over Aldi’s candy cane tea, but that’s because I like tasting other flavors like vanilla in addition to just peppermint, and Aldi’s candy cane tea is mostly just a peppermint flavor. If you want a pure peppermint flavor and nothing else, you may prefer Aldi’s candy cane tea instead.

I sweetened my Trader Joe’s tea with a dollop of honey, but next time I might try adding milk or a bit of regular white sugar to see if I can come even closer to that candy cane taste.

The Verdict:

Trader Joe’s Candy Cane Green Tea is the next best thing to eating a candy cane, and without all the sugar and stickiness of a candy cane. At $1.99 a box, it is priced competitively compared to Aldi’s Benner Tea Co. Candy Cane Tea.