I am an autumn girl through and through—I look forward to exclusively wearing oversized sweaters and my docs, I’m constantly taking photos of the changing leaves on trees and I am a sucker for pumpkin patches and apple orchards. One of my favorite things about the fall season is seeing all of the seasonal foods and special items that hit the shelves in the stores. My main stop for my weekly grocery shopping trip is Trader Joe’s. TJ’s caters to every fall lover’s appetite by selling and advertising their fall items while also introducing new things every year. As part of my yearly autumn bucket list, I took it upon myself to buy in bulk a bunch of TJ’s fall items, and review the best and the worst.
Pumpkin Bagels: 8/10
I love myself a good bagel: they’re simple, filling and easy to make and grab on the go. Trader Joe’s pumpkin bagels have small bits of pumpkin pie in them and carry a light pumpkin taste, bringing a tiny bit of fall into your breakfast or afternoon snack. While I would have prefered a more prominent pumpkin taste to them, they pair perfectly with regular cream cheese and a warm cup of coffee. I look forward to these every year, and I was so excited to see them on the shelf again.
Maple Oat Milk: 7/10
For my morning coffees, I usually add oat or almond milk with a splash of sugar. However, for this month, I decided to switch things up a bit in honor of the fall season. I used the maple oat milk in my coffee, and it was the best way to start a crisp fall morning. It has a subtle hint of maple flavoring that’s not overpowering, and it tastes just like something out of Starbucks. It’s a seasonal surprise that will definitely be added to my fall necessities moving forward.
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese: 10/10
This mac and cheese is a Trader Joe’s classic. I was inspired by TikTok to pick this up, and I am glad I did. If I could only have one “fall” meal for the rest of my life, it would be this mac and cheese. It’s super easy to make, and it’s hard to only have one at a time. If you’re a picky eater, you’re in luck, because the squash taste barely comes through and it’s all cheesiness. But hurry, these sell out fast, so if you see one, make sure you buy it!
Pumpkin Spice Hummus: 8/10
While in the aisles of Trader Joe’s, I passed this item a couple of times, debating if I should pick it up or not. The idea of pumpkin spice and hummus doesn’t sound appealing—it seems like both terms are on opposite sides of the spectrum. However, this hummus was the biggest surprise of my grocery run. I was expecting it to be more earthy and savory, as a regular hummus would be, but it was the sweetest surprise. It tastes more like a pumpkin pie dip rather than a typical hummus. If you’re looking to broaden your palate and horizons with interesting sounding foods, this is the perfect place to start!
Pumpkin Bisque: 5/10
I had such high hopes for this fall soup, but unfortunately, it fell short. For colder seasons, I turn to soups for an easy lunch or dinner, but I don’t know if I would turn to Trader Joe’s pumpkin bisque at first. The soup has a lot more spice than pumpkin, which comes off very overbearing. However, if you are a person who doesn’t like the taste of pumpkin, then this soup would be for you!
This year, TJ’s definitely went all out and catered to every audience, whether that means releasing new items and bringing back fan favorites. No matter if you prefer sweet, savory or (pumpkin) spicy, Trader Joe’s definitely has something for everyone wanting to feel a little fall festivities this year.