From the Jalapeño Limeade the grocer graces you with each summer to the Power of Seven Green Organic Juice, a lot of Trader Joe’s juices are worth the hype, juxtaposing complementary flavors for something balanced and sippable. There are, on the other hand, one or two you shouldn’t even consider buying. Look reviewed and ranked every Trader Joe’s juice from worst to best. In it, our taste testers came to the conclusion that one option in particular should stay far away from your shopping cart: Country Peach Juice.
So, what’s the issue? In theory, a peach juice sounds perfectly lovely. The fruits are juicy enough as they are, with a sweetness so delectable it almost feels wasteful when the drippings leak into your hand and down your arm with each bite. Bottling them up seems like the perfect solution; only with Trader Joe’s Country Peach Juice, it’s not quite the same. Taste testers found the juice overly sweet — going as far as to call it “syrupy.” Unlike the sensation of biting into a fresh, peak season peach in the summertime, the Country Peach Juice is far from refreshing on a warm and sunny day.
It’s safe to say, Trader Joe’s Country Peach juice won’t be your substitute for an actual peach — nor for any of the other fruit juices (white grape, apple, pear, and pineapple) mixed into it. If you want something that tastes like the real deal, your best bet is to go straight to the source.
Make your own fresh peach juice
Considering most peach juices found in stores are more apple than peach, your best bet is to make your juice at home. Obviously, ripe summer peaches will make the best tasting juice — once you rinse, chop, and blend them with water. If you prefer smooth and pulp free juice, you’ll also want to strain it using a cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve after blending. Then, of course, you’ll have the dreaded task of cleaning your blender when you’re done. Just be sure to do it in the most foolproof, and safest way possible.
This process is made a bit easier if you have a juicer at home — although you will still have a machine to clean at the end. With a juicer, all you have to do is rinse and cut the peaches, then feed them into the machine. The juicer will automatically discard any of the pulp, leaving you with a smooth juice made with peaches and nothing else. The only catch is that since the juice is totally natural with no preservatives, it will only last in your fridge for a couple of days. You can, however, freeze any extra. Stored in individual servings, just take them out when a craving strikes and let the juice thaw.
