In the midst of the dread of online classes, I was in need of a pick-me-upーwhat better excuse for that than the start of fall? The minute the calendar said September 22nd, the pumpkin candles in my house were lit and leggings and flannels replaced shorts and t-shirts in my wardrobe. So naturally, I had to celebrate the start of fall with a Trader Joe’s haul.
- Pumpkin Bagels
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Like most bagels, these were much better toasted and with cream cheese (or butter and cinnamon); but, as an overall product, there is not really anything extra special that differentiates these bagels from regular ones, especially in Charlottesville where Bodo’s is always a viable option.
Overall: 6/10
- Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
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I did not have high hopes for this fall take on pasta sauce due to the unusual combination of pumpkin and tomato. However, this is not a product I regret buying. It had subtle flavors of each of the ingredients without being overwhelming, and it was great on TJ’s pumpkin ravioli, which I cover later on in the list. That being said, there are still only certain savory food combinations that I would pair this sauce with.
Overall: 7/10
- Pumpkin Spice Pretzels
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This was one of those last-minute grabs from the front of the check-out line and I certainly don’t regret it. These pumpkin spice pretzels are like chocolate covered pretzels on steroids, but in a good way. Next time I go to TJ’s, I will absolutely be stocking up on this delicious snack.
Overall: 10/10
- Pumpkin Bisque
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Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bisque, unfortunately, did not meet my craving for a warm, soothing fall soup. One good thing I will say is that it was rather flavorful, but it tasted nothing like pumpkin or butternut squash. If you’re in the mood for glorified vegetable broth, then this pumpkin bisque may be for you; if not, you may be better off trying out your own recipe for pumpkin and butternut squash soup.
Overall: 3/10
- Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle Mix
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My roommate brought a mini waffle maker just to make waffles out of this mix and we were all so glad. The waffles’ pumpkin spice flavor made for a great first game day breakfast! I would definitely recommend these to anyone with a craving for a sweet pumpkin breakfast.
Overall: 8/10
- Spicy Pumpkin Samosas
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I really just bought these because I assumed they would be terrible and would give me something spicy, both figuratively and literally, to write about. These spicy
pumpkin samosas were actually a pleasant surprise. The sweetness of the pumpkin balanced out the spiciness perfectly for my white-girl taste buds.
Overall: 8/10
- Pumpkin Ice Cream
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Trader Joe’s pumpkin ice cream is easily the best pumpkin ice cream I have ever tasted. Albeit, it is the only pumpkin ice cream I have ever had, but I think I have reason enough to deem it the best. It is creamy, luscious, and my roommate even used the words “life-changing.” I highly recommend you try it.
Overall: 10/10
- Pumpkin Tortilla Chips
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I was excited about these when I bought them since I like to consider myself somewhat of a tortilla chip connoisseurーchips and salsa/guacamole are an everyday occurrence in my household. Tostitos scoops will forever be my go-to, but I dare say that these come in a close second. They have all the deliciousness of regular tortilla chips with an extra hint of cinnamon and nutmeg that will knock your socks off.
Overall: 9/10
- Pumpkin Ravioli
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While I had to doctor up these raviolis a bit, they were actually quite delicious. I do not necessarily believe they deserve the hype as TJ’s most coveted fall item (I would easily give that to #10), but they did make a delicious dinner!
Overall: 8/10
- Cinnamon Bun Spread
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Saved the best for last! This deliciously sweet dip is the only thing included on this list that does not have pumpkin in the name, nor does it have anything to do with pumpkin. It makes the list, however, because it is way too delicious to be left off of it. I would dip just about any dippable food item into this Cinnamon Bun Spread and not be disappointed with the result.
Overall: 10/10
This was a fun little TJ’s experiment that my foodie self loved as an excuse to
buy random, tasty fall food items. I will definitely be going back to Trader Joe’s to
cop some of these items again, but some will certainly be left on the shelf this time.
Happy fall and happy eating!