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Jocelyn Hsu / Spoon
Culture

Rating All of the Fall Foods I’ve Tried From Trader Joes

Katie Madison
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NCSU chapter.

Last week, my roommate Sidney suggested I write an article about the fall themed options at Trader Joes, our favorite grocery store ever. Now both of us saw this idea as what it really was, an excuse to buy even more unnecessary snacks and desserts as part of the “research.” I’ve been keeping track of all the items we’ve tried, and since we hopped on the Fall bandwagon back in September, there’s a lot of items to cover! I’ve mostly bought different desserts, but there are a couple dinner components included as well to balance out the major sugar rush I’ve created here. Even with the comprehensive list I’ve made, Trader Joes is always adding new delicious items and does a great job having something for everyone. I hope everyone finds something that fits their spooky or sweet mood this fall!

Meals:

Pumpkin Bisque – 8/10

I think this soup is so good. It has a great pumpkin flavor and it pairs so well with crackers (I love the Original Water Crackers from TJ’s). I have been told that it has a “tangy” taste, but I disagree. I just picked up my second jar, and am so excited to crack it open.

Butternut Squash Ravioli – 9/10

Honestly I’m so tempted to give this one a 10/10. I LOVE butternut squash, and the squash in this filling was so sweet. It’s the perfect size for two people, but in my case, it’s the perfect size for two meals. I boiled it in salted water and added butter afterwards. It probably took ten minutes, but I’ve been thinking about it ever since.

Garden Vegetable Soup – 9/10

I was hesitant about this item, because when I think of fall foods I really only think of pumpkins and squash, but my co-researcher/roommate loved this soup. It’s already cooked, you just have to heat it up, so the cooking process is very simple and it’s a great result. There’s lots of flavor and it’s full of veggies. Perfect for the fall girlies who aren’t into pumpkin.

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese – 5/10

I wanted to love this one, but it didn’t work out. I was hoping the butternut squash would be sweet, but I actually thought it was kind of spicy. I didn’t really understand why until I read the ingredients list and saw there was cayenne pepper. I definitely think this could be a great option for those who like hot foods, but it just wasn’t for me.

Desserts:

Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Mix – 7/10 

Now moving on to the real main event, the desserts! I consider this bread mix a fall staple, it’s perfect for breakfast… or lunch, or dinner, or anything. I always add chocolate chips and that makes it even better.

Halloween Joe Joe’s Cookies – 6/10

If you’re not familiar, Joe Joe’s is Trader Joe’s version of Oreo, which I believe is supposed to have less sugar. I’d never had these cookies before, but I bought the Halloween version because of their fun jack o lantern faces. I don’t have much to say about these cookies, especially since they weren’t a specialty flavor, just original creme cookies. They were good, but not amazing, and I wouldn’t necessarily buy them again when I know there are so many other delicious things I could get.

Pumpkin & Spice Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix – 10/10

My roommates and I are currently on our third box of this cookie mix. They come out soft and warm, and adding chocolate chips makes them absolutely delicious. I love the cinnamon sugar coating and how simple they are to make. This might be my #1 recommendation for the whole season, they’re just that good.

Maple Leaf Cookies – 9/10

These are my other yearly fall buy, but I believe Trader Joe’s has even begun to carry them year round. The cookies are simple, similar to a yellow oreo, but the icing has a strong maple flavor that is so yummy. 

Apple Shortbread Cookies – 6/10

These are super simple cookies, very buttery and crunchy. They have little chunks of chewy apple inside which are super good, but overall I found them to be too basic for my taste/ 

Honorable Mention: 

I bought this Pumpkin Body Butter from Trader Joe’s and I love the way it smells! I think it smells like candied pumpkin, and I get so excited to use it because I love the scent.

More Recommendations:

Here’s a quick list of the items my roommates and I have not gotten to yet, but I am anxious to try: the Pumpkin Ravioli, the Butternut Squash Lasagna, the Pumpkin bagels, the Cinnamon Bun Spread, the Pumpkin Brioche, the Pumpkin Cream Cheese, and the Pumpkin Waffles! Basically anything and everything pumpkin flavored.

Katie Madison is a sophomore student at NC State University and a first-year writer for Her Campus. She is hoping to grow her writing skills, have a permanent creative outlet, and be connected with other women on campus. In high school, Katie was Editor-in-Chief of her school's Literary Magazine. She also spent two years as the Vice President of Literary Magazine for the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association (NCSMA). Currently an Exploratory Studies major at NC State, Katie plans to be a Biological Sciences major with the possible aspiration of going to Medical School. After graduation, she hopes to live abroad in a major city such as London or Madrid. Katie is from Ocean Isle Beach, NC, along with her three older siblings and parents. She enjoys swimming in the ocean or pool as often as possible. She also loves to read, especially classic literature and science fiction, and also to watch her favorite movies over and over again. Some favorite books of hers are Little Women and anything by Jane Austen. As for movies, she loves dystopian series such as The Hunger Games, feminine films like 13 Going on 30, and science movies like The Martian or A Quiet Place.