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The leaves are turning, the air is getting colder, and the puffer jackets are making their way out of the closet. It’s that time of the year again when midterms are just around the corner and football Saturdays are getting just a bit chillier. The bright spot in all of this? Trader Joe’s fall items are back! A time I look forward to every year, all things pumpkin, heavy spices, and warm treats! Unbeatable. To celebrate the turn of the season, I have compiled a list of the top five fall items at Trader Joe’s. Keep in mind that while I consider myself a lover of good food, I am in no way a professional taste tester, and these are all based on opinion.
- Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Mix
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Coming in hot at number 1, is the pumpkin bread and muffin mix. This is my absolute favorite thing to eat in the fall. It is so easy to make, takes 5 minutes to whip up in your kitchen with ingredients you probably already have, and cooks up in just under an hour. The bread makes your kitchen smell like cinnamon and spice and pairs extremely well with a cup of chai tea. If you are feeling extra adventurous, throw in a cup or two of chocolate chips to the batter and elevate your bread. The warm pumpkin bread with a bite of melting chocolate is just the perfect thing to finish a fall Sunday off with.
- Pumpkin Spice Coffee
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A new contender this year, number 2 on the list is the pumpkin spice coffee. Now I admit, I was skeptical of this one at first. Coffee is a necessity in my life and my roommates and I live off of very strong Folgers. Branching out from our tried and true was brave but this coffee blend exceeded all expectations. It brews up very nicely, with just a hint of cloves. There isn’t a strong pumpkin flavor, in fact, there is a very subtle chai spice hint. My secret? A splash of Trader Joe’s brown sugar oat creamer to finish off your perfect fall morning bevvy.
- Pumpkin Pancakes and Waffle Mix
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Smack dab in the middle of the list, pumpkin pancakes and waffle mix. I had high expectations for this product and I even tried both forms. I made pancakes and waffles but was somewhat underwhelmed. While the straightforward instructions and quick prep time make this a good midweek breakfast item, the lack of pumpkin taste and overall blandness of the batter keep this from being as good as the bread and muffin mix. I would suggest adding some extra cinnamon if you want to try this mix out for yourself.
- Pumpkin Butternut Squash Bisque
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Number 4 on my list is the Pumpkin Butternut Squash bisque. I have watched my roommate down bowl after bowl of this and rave about it, but it wasn’t until this year that I was brave enough to give it a try for myself. I’m glad that I did, as the bisque itself is pretty good. This bisque is advertised as having a brown butter and sage finish which I didn’t quite taste for myself (my palate might not be quite distinguished enough to detect these subtler flavors) but overall it was very good! At the end of the day though? I will always be an advocate for a classic tomato soup and grilled cheese fall dinner.
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Bites
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To round out my list, the butternut squash mac and cheese bites. This item was appealing for two reasons. One: I found it in the freezer aisle of Trader Joe’s and this aisle has never led me astray. Two: I could pop it in the microwave and not dirty a single pot or pan in my kitchen. So with this in mind, I had to give the bites a try. The first taste was cheesy and somewhat squash-y in an obviously expected way. Once I got past the squash part of the mac bites, they were pretty good! The blend of cheese and crush of the breadcrumb exterior was really yummy. These were a different, fun meal to switch it up with midweek and worth a try if you like squash.
I hope you enjoy, I hope the fall weather and turning leaves bring you joy, and I wish you the best of luck with your Trader Joe’s adventures!