The $5 Trader Joe’s Dessert I’m Stocking Up on This Summer

If you’re going to sit outside in the heat all day, you might as well take advantage of it, right? Not just for that gorgeous tan you’re about to get. (Side note: Don’t forget sunscreen!) But you could also take advantage of that glorious summer heat by letting it do what it does best to your favorite sweet treats during the summer: Let them melt.

No, really — we’re not kidding. If you love the pairing of chocolate and fruit (like a chocolate-covered strawberry), then you’re absolutely going to love this ingenious trick from Instagram creator @amandamaehome.

Here’s how it works: Buy a Pound Plus Dark Chocolate Bar at Trader Joe’s for $4.99. Nestle the wrapper below the chocolate, then place the fresh fruit (strawberries, cherries, watermelon — whatever you like!) around it on a large plate. Then let the sun do what it does best and melt that chocolate into a fondue-like dip to pair with those fresh fruits. Brilliant, right?

Feel free to get creative with the chocolate you decide to grab for your dip. While the creator uses dark chocolate, you could grab other chocolate options at Trader Joe’s, like the Pound Plus Milk Chocolate Bar with Caramel, Pretzel, Sea Salt. She says she’ll stick a bar of this chocolate in her ice chest before heading off on her boat on the lake, then when it’s time to snack she’ll take it out and set it up for her family to enjoy.

She also recommends this particular trick with other tasty goodies as well, like graham crackers or marshmallows for the s’mores-lovers. We even think a salty-sweet snack would be delicious here, like pretzels or potato chips.