There’s been a fair amount of controversy over mochi. These Japanese rice cakes are known for being eaten in celebration of the new year, and also for killing people. Yes, the gelatinous cakes are a bit gooey and hard to chew, meaning people sometimes choke on them (usually folks above the age of 65).
Of course, the Trader Joe’s version of mochi isn’t a full pounded rice cake, but an ice cream treat that has a mochi shell. These are way safer to eat than their Japanese counterparts, though we should warn you to make sure you chew them properly just in case.
We’ve tried several versions of Trader Joe’s mochi in the past, from the fruit-infused mango variety to the oh-so-sweet chocolate peanut butter version. Today we’re checking out the Trader Joe’s Green Tea Mochi, which we’ve had our eyes on for a while now.
These come six in a box, and when you open up the box you’ll find a plastic container that keeps all six separated from each other. This keeps them from freezing together in a clump, and we appreciate that.
If you’ve never bitten into a piece of mochi before, it’s a strange experience. The consistency of the rice dough feels rough but gummi-like. On top of that, it doesn’t feel as cold in your mouth as the ice cream, so your brain keeps insisting these are warmer than they’re supposed to be. If you can just roll with it, though, these are actually pretty great.
The real treat here is without a doubt the green tea ice cream. If you’ve ever had a green tea Frappuccino from Starbucks, you’re in at least the general vicinity of what these taste like. It’s a sweet green tea flavor that works really well with ice cream, as unlikely as that may seem.
These aren’t too bad in the calorie department, so if you want to scarf down one or two as a quick snack, you should be able to do so with relatively little guilt. At 80 calories a pop, these aren’t going to ruin a diet. Go ahead, indulge!
The Trader Joe’s Green Tea Mochi bites make for a great low-calorie dessert that should satisfy a sweet tooth. We still think the Chocolate Peanut Butter Mochi is our favorite so far, but we can safely say that the green tea version is our second favorite. They’re pretty tasty!
To learn more about the nutrition content or ingredients for these Trader Joe’s frozen desserts, check out our package scan below.
