Fall weather took a lot longer to hit the Bay Area. In fact, it only started to feel chilly right before our clocks were set back an hour. I wore a summer dress during our pumpkin patch trip and even on this grocery trip to Trader Joe’s. I was getting impatient with our extra summer weather in October and craving a taste of fall, so if the weather isn’t cooperating in your area, hitting your taste buds with some seasonal fall flavors should do the trick.
Trader Joe’s has some interesting seasonal items, and I frequently shop there, but what is worth getting this Fall season at Trader Joe’s? I scoured the grocery aisles looking for pumpkin and apple spiced goodies. Some items I had purchased before and been ones I knew to look out for this season, but a lot of these items were new to me. My sister Nicole and Armando helped me with the rating of these items (out of pumpkins) and luckily helped me with eating everything. My corgi Iris and my sister’s westie Bella also got in on the tasting with some seasonal dog treats. I was not able to get every item available for Fall, but hopefully, this list helps narrow your next shopping list or helps introduce you to some new Fall flavors.
Here are all the seasonal items I was able to find and interested in trying from Trader Joe’s. Please note, this is not a sponsored post, I just like shopping there and wanted to try all these products:
Savory
Trader Joe’s Autumnal Harvest Alfredo Sauce
This harvest alfredo sauce is actually pretty creamy. I liked it enough, but would likely stick to buying the other Autumnal Harvest pasta sauce. This Alfredo sauce is not as shelf-stable as the other Autumnal Harvest pasta as this was in the refrigerated section, but I might give it another chance if I was making a Chicken Alfredo Pasta next Fall.
B: 🎃🎃🎃
Trader Joe’s Creamy Pasta Sauce Pumpkin and Butternut Squash
I used this when I made some penne pasta and the zucchetto pasta and thought it tasted delicious with each dish. I liked that this sauce was a little sweet and loved it a lot more than the Trader Joe’s Autumnal Harvest Alfredo Sauce. I might pick up some more on my next Trader Joe’s run!
B: 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
Trader Joe’s Fall Zucchette Pasta Butternut Squash
This fun-shaped pasta tasted fine on its own, but it definitely needs to be accompanied with a yummy pasta sauce. I cooked it and added a crumbled hot italian sausage and tried this with both types of sauces I picked up. We all loved the Autumnal Harvest sauce with this more. If you need a creative dish for a potluck, I don’t think you can go wrong with bringing this
B: 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
This delivers as a creamy soup with pumpkin & fall spices, but I don’t think I would pick it up again unless I knew how to work it into another recipe. I tend to like more variety in my soups, but Nicole loved it.
B: 🎃🎃🎃🎃
Salty
Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Tortilla Chips
Just tastes like a chip. There is a light cinnamon flavor at end, but did not seem to have a strong pumpkin flavor.
N: 🎃
B: 🎃🎃
Trader Joe’s Ghosts & Bats Crispy Potato Snacks
I got these more for the novelty that they were ghosts and bats, especially with Halloween coming up. They tasted okay, but would probably need to accompany a dip if you are bringing these to a party.
B: 🎃🎃🎃
Drinks
Trader Joe’s Autumn Maple Coffee
Very pleasant smell. Not too strong, gets right amount of maple. Coffee taste itself is a bit mellow, perfect as it’s a light roast. (Nicole’s Tip: Vanilla and maple really go well together, so add in some vanilla flavored creamer.)
B/N: 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
La Colombe Pumpkin Spice Draft Latte
Canned latte? Yes please! This drink was creamy and I am interested in trying other flavors by this brand. This was not heavy with pumpkin spice, which was very pleasant. This drink is also not a Trader Joe’s product, so you should be able to find it at your local grocery store or you can order it by the case on Amazon.
B: 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
I worked with someone who would pick up a bottle of this every week and I can see why. This is something that screams Fall to me, especially when it is heated up in a big mug. I ran into someone at Trader Joe’s that mentioned it’s also a good mixer with bourbon, which is intriguing for Fall entertaining. I love this drink and plan on getting it again next year.
B: 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
Trader Joe’s Fuji Apple Spiced Cider
This stuff is amazing! I love the other Spiced Apple Cider beverage, but this is portable and tastes a lot lighter. Wish this came in 6 packs, but this is definitely something I am picking up while it is available.
B/N: 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
Very pumpkin forward. It makes a great addition to the Autumn Maple Coffee or mixed with milk or plain almond beverage, but I was not a fan of it on its own.
B: 🎃🎃🎃
The Gourd Tree Pumpkin Cider
This cider comes in a six-pack, but at the register, I asked if I could only purchase one instead of all six, and I am glad I did. I liked the branding on this bottle, and the punny name, but the pumpkin flavor was too strong for me. Armando said he would drink it if it was the only cider available, but I think we both felt this needed a bit more apple than Pumpkin.
B: 🎃
Trader Joe’s Spicy Chai Tea Latte
I’ve been drinking more coffee than chai lattes, but this mixture is delightful! I am not sure if this is exclusive for Fall, but I would definitely buy again. I made this only with water warm, but this can also be enjoyed iced with milk.
B: 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
Sweet
Dog Treats
Home
Trader Joe’s Honeycrisp Apple Scented Candle
There were other home and beauty items available, like the Apple Cider Hand Soap and Pumpkin Beauty Mask, but I opted to grab the candle to really fill my home with the scent of Fall. This smells like fresh apples and I’ve watched enough of the original Queer Eye to know if a candle smells great without being lit, its worth picking up!
B: 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
Have you tried any of these seasonal Trader Joe’s products? Any that you’ve tried before that need to make a comeback next year? If you try something new from my list, let me know what your thoughts are!
Until next time,
Brandy
