One of the best ways to welcome fall is by enjoying the flavors of the season. With school back in session and the weather finally dipping below 60º, my annual pumpkin spice cravings have come back in full force. To appease these cravings, I decided to head to Trader Joe’s in the hopes of finding some festive foods.
To my delight, there was no shortage of options. I was pleased to see shelf after shelf brimming with seasonal treats. Amidst displays of various gourds and fall flowers was a selection of baked goods. Intrigued, I decided to pick up a batch of the apple cider donuts. They were delicious but plain — just regular cake donuts coated in cinnamon and sugar. Still, I’d recommend them, especially if you were to pair them with a glass of the equally delicious Trader Joe’s spiced cider. My next purchase was a box of the apple cinnamon buns: danishes with apple cinnamon filling and a crumb topping. With just two to a box, these delicious pastries would be the perfect snack to share with a friend.
What I found next was the spiced chai black tea concentrate, conveniently located next to the non-dairy pumpkin oat beverage. I purchased both, and together they were great. If you’re a fan of Starbucks’ pumpkin cream chai tea latte, you’d love these items. When combined, the result is almost indistinguishable from the Starbucks drink. If you were hoping for a really pumpkin-filled breakfast, you could take things to the next level with the pecan pumpkin oatmeal packets. They’re a quick and delicious breakfast option for a chilly fall morning, and especially delicious when dusted with the pumpkin pie spice. Alternatively, you could pair your chai tea latte with some of the spiced pumpkin madeleine cookies for an afternoon snack. You could also pick up a box of the petite pumpkin spice cookies, a pumpkin-flavored spin on Trader Joe’s classic pinks & whites.
If baking is more your style, I’d suggest the pumpkin bread mix (or the gluten free pumpkin bread & muffin mix if you prefer). Baking the bread made my house smell amazing, and the bread was really delicious. I’d suggest putting on an episode of Gilmore Girls while you bake for maximum effect. Then enjoy as you burn a vanilla pumpkin scented candle.
If you’re in search of a meal with a little more substance, I also tried the organic fall zucchette pasta paired with the autumnal harvest creamy pasta sauce. Admittedly, I only bought the pasta because it was shaped like pumpkins, but I was pleasantly surprised with these purchases. The pasta actually made for a delicious meal, and the sauce was a nice alternative to a typical red sauce. I’d thoroughly recommend these items, even though the noodles became significantly less pumpkin-shaped once cooked.
My final purchase was a box of the pumpkin flavored dog treats. I did not sample these, but if you hope to include your dog(s) in fall festivities then these are the perfect item for you. My dogs seemed to thoroughly enjoy these, and I’d imagine they’d recommend them to any other dog owners out there.
Trader Joe’s Fall Foods: ★★★★★
