I’ve heard a lot of people say that Trader Joe’s food are “fake groceries” and while I can see where they’re coming from, Trader Joe’s is my best friend (I’m sure many college students can agree). From the frozen dinners you can just heat up in the microwave to the seasonal snacks you can’t get anywhere else, this store is my playground. It’s definitely starting to feel like fall in Berkeley, not because of the weather, but because the fall items dropped at Trader Joe’s. Here are some of my favorite treats that feel like fall — Trader Joe’s edition.
1. arugula grilled cheese and tomato soup
Don’t get me wrong, I’ll have grilled cheese and tomato soup any day of the year, but it’s so comforting to have during fall. I love the organic tomato soup at Trader Joe’s. I also like to top it with parmesan cheese. I always go for a classic grilled cheese but on days when I’m feeling a little fancy, I’ll mix Munster cheese and Boursin garlic and herbs cheese and throw in some arugula. Then, I cut it up diagonally and dunk it in the soup –– the correct way to eat it.
2. chocolate covered apples with cookie butter drizzle
One thing about me is that I love a sweet treat. Caramel apples are great, but a chocolate-covered apple with a drizzle of cookie butter takes the concept of a fall sweet treat to a whole new level. The cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove of cookie butter gives it that cozy fall feeling. After cutting my apples into slices, I melt dark chocolate chunks in the microwave and dip the slices a little over halfway. I let them sit on parchment paper to harden then drizzle some Speculoos Cookie Butter on top.
3. S’mores with pumpkin spice ice cream
I know s’mores are classified as a summer tradition, but I love elevating the dessert with Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream. My favorite way to make s’mores in the comfort of my apartment is via microwave: I assemble the graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow and microwave it at 10-second intervals until it’s the perfect ooey-gooey consistency. Instead of topping it with another graham cracker, I add a scoop of pumpkin spice ice cream to create a perfect s’mores à la mode.
4. lasagna soup
Lasagna is one of the most comforting meals you can have, in my humble opinion, and turning it into a soup makes it my favorite cozy meal to have in the fall. I can’t take credit for this brilliant recipe. I was easily influenced and immediately ran to Trader Joe’s to grab ingredients the second I saw this lasagna soup recipe on TikTok.
5. pumpkin spice kettle corn
One of my favorite snacks of all time is Trader Joe’s Kettle Corn, but during the fall season I like to spice it up a little (pun intended) and sprinkle some cinnamon and pumpkin powder on it. A simple and easy snack to make while I binge my favorite fall shows.
So walk, don’t run to your nearest Trader Joe’s and get into the fall spirit with these treats!