It’s that time of the year again; the leaves are blushing, the air is crisp, and Trader Joe’s has brought back their fall foods. This year, I went home for our mini fall break, drove straight to my local Trader Joe’s and picked up 9 fun festive fall foods to try out, so you don’t have to. And an added bonus, they’re all budget friendly! Now, let’s get into the festive foods.
- Pumpkin Joe Joe’s
Naturally, I started with the Pumpkin Joe Joe’s. As a fan of the normal Joe Joe’s, I was super excited to try the festive pumpkin version. They did not disappoint. To put the flavors into words, it was like eating a pumpkin pie-flavored gingerbread cookie. Less pumpkin, more spice. They are the perfect little sweet treat for after dinner or a little snack between meals.
Rating: 10/10
- Pumpkin Hummus
Next up, pumpkin hummus. If hummus has a million fans, I am one of them. If it has 1 fan, it’s me. If it has 0 fans, I am dead. I am hummus’ #1 fan, so inherently, I loved the pumpkin hummus. I would compare it to chocolate hummus in the way that it tastes nothing like chickpeas. Only the consistency remains the same as the original hummus. It reminded me of the cinnamon dip at the Pretzel Factory while also exuding flavors of fall.
Rating: 10/10
- Autumnal Harvest Soup
The Autumnal Harvest Soup was a creamy tomato soup with chunks of pumpkin and butternut squash mixed in. The only change I tasted between a classic tomato soup and this Autumnal Harvest was that this version was sweeter due to the pumpkin and butternut squash, and it had more texture (chunks of tomato, pumpkin, and butternut squash). This soup is a great meal to help you warm up on a brisk, fall day.
Rating: 8/10
- Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Mix
First off, this mix is so easy to make. It follows the same steps as making brownies from a box. Next, it makes your entire room/apartment/house smell marvelous. The sweet, pumpkin spice air filled my apartment and wafted down my hall. Lastly, it tastes phenomenal. This is a classic pumpkin bread to get you in the fall feels. One tip is to add chocolate chips; you won’t regret it.
Rating: 10/10
- Honey Crisp Apple Cider
Honeycrisps are by far my favorite apple, so I had high expectations. Unfortunately, this apple cider fell short of those expectations. It was very sweet which was enjoyable, but it had a tanginess that I couldn’t get on board with.
Rating: 5/10
- Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli
These pretty little things only take 2 minutes to cook! Filled with a blend of ricotta, pumpkin and honey, Trader Joe’s Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli gives you the balance of sweet and savory. With these ravioli, I was hoping for a bit more pumpkin flavor, so I probably wouldn’t buy them again but still a great, easy meal.
Rating: 5/10
- Butternut Squash Ravioli
While I wouldn’t buy the Pumpkin Ravioli again, I would eat the Butternut Squash Ravioli every day for the rest of my life. If you like butternut squash, I guarantee that you will fall in love with this ravioli the second you try it. The filling is smooth and sweet and begs you to come back for more. AND they only take 3 minutes to cook.
Rating: 10/10
- Pumpkin Bisque
As much as I wanted to love the pumpkin bisque, it was just not for me. With reference to the Trader Joe’s website, the bisque consists of a pumpkin puree, heavy cream, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and tahini. For me, it was too sweet for a soup, and therefore, it wasn’t very enjoyable. On the other hand, the thickness and consistency of the bisque was superb!
Rating: 3/10
- Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle Mix
I recently got a mini waffle maker from Target, so when I saw the Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle Mix, I knew I had to try it out. I only had time to make the waffles, but they tasted exactly how you would expect a pumpkin waffle to taste: sweet but not too sweet, subtle pumpkin, and hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. For the waffle, just add butter, water and eggs, and you’re set!
Rating: 10/10