Happy Halloween! Hope everyone had a fun time celebrating this weekend. Rob and I went to a wine walk at Red Rock Resort on Saturday and spent the rest of the weekend watching Stranger Things. It was sooo good! We also made our first pumpkin pie of the season! It’s hard to believe I’m not sick of pumpkin everything yet, because I’ve had a lot of it this season. Trader Joe’s is definitely the place to go for autumnal flavored goodies. I limited myself to only spending $25, but I easily could have spent $100 since they have SO MUCH! So before the shelves are filled with peppermint and gingerbread for the holidays, I wanted to share my favorite picks and what to skip. I’d love to hear about your favorite pumpkin items, too, so leave a comment if there’s something else I need to try!
I’m a big herbal tea drinker, so the Pumpkin Spice Rooibos was a must try. This fall flavored drink is the perfect way to warm up as I sit in a cold office all day. Plus it pairs perfectly with the Pumpkin Spice Scone Mix with Maple Icing. They are really easy to make (just add water!), but still moist and flavorful. The Pumpkin Cereal Bars would also complement the tea well, but honestly these were just okay. I probably wouldn’t buy them again. Another item I wasn’t too impressed with was the Pumpkin Spice Almond Beverage. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t what I was expecting. I thought it would be like a normal white almond milk and have some subtle flavoring. However, it’s an orange color and thicker consistency with A LOT of flavor. I used it to make my oatmeal and it tasted like I was eating a full on pumpkin pie. I plan on bringing it to work and adding some to a cup of coffee, so I’ll let you know how that is!
I wasn’t sure what to expect with the Greek Yogurt, but it was really tasty! It’s not overly sweet because there is still the tanginess of the Greek yogurt. I topped it with the Pumpkin Spice Granola, which adds a nice texture. The granola is good, but if I tried it blindly I don’t think I would have picked up on the pumpkin flavoring.
If you’re looking for a more savory meal or side, the Pumpkin Soup or Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli would be a good choice. I made the ravioli for dinner one night and wanted to pair it with a brown butter cream sauce, but I screwed up that recipe :( we ended up serving it with some extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Still really good and simple to make!
The snack aisle is always dangerous for me. I tried the Pita Chips with Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds last year, which have a great sweet and salty flavor. This year I opted for the Pumpkin Tortilla Chips and was not disappointed! They have the subtle pumpkin flavor and are perfect for crumbling over a bowl of chili or serving with your favorite salsa. I also bought the Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn to snack on during our Wyoming road trip and could have eaten the entire bag! It was so addicting.
On to my personal favorites: DESSERT! I could have spent a fortune on all of the sweet items they have to offer. Last year I used the Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookie Butter for my homemade Reese’s cups. You can find the recipe in this post—I think they turned out really well :) This year I bought the Mini Pumpkin Pies, which come frozen. I haven’t had the chance to try those yet, but they sure look delicious!
—- 2017 UPDATE —-
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We now live in Destin, FL and don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby, so my mom surprised me and sent a big box of their pumpkin goodies this fall! Out of all of them, the pumpkin spice granola bark is probably my favorite. Mostly because it’s covered in chocolate :) I also love the pumpkin Joe-Joe’s and petite pumpkin spice cookies. And don’t even get me started on the caramel corn! So. Good.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the oatmeal (not worth the sugar to me). The toaster pastries were also just okay. I wish the filling was thicker, you mainly just taste the pastry party.
What are your favorite fall items at Trader Joe’s?
Whoa! That is a lot of pumpkin! Like, a lot for this Aussie bahahahaha! I’m not a fan of pumpkin in general, maybe a piece or two roasted and tossed in a salad but that is it. That said, the tortilla chips I’d totally give a go.
Sxx
http://www.daringcoco.com
This all looks so yummy!
Xx
Molly
http://www.trendychickadee.com
Oh my goodness so much pumpkin!! hehe I myself actually haven’t been to Trader Joe’s in ages but the pumpkin yogurt, almond beverage and ravioli all look super yummy!
Erica
http://www.pumpsandpushups.com
Great post dear, this looks so good!! Thanks for sharing!
Faye .x
Blog: http://www.fayeisabella.co.uk/…
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/fayei…
The Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Rooibos is one of my favorite seasonal teas! So good!! I tried the pumpkin ravioli and was a HUGE fan. Pumpkin everything is okay with me!
Ahhh! Gimme gimme gimme! Pumpkin flavored EVERYTHING – I definitely need to try that yogurt :)
Love, Lindsey
http://www.thenomisniche.com/
Haha! It’s really good :)
this looks like pumpkin heaven! yum!!!
kelseybang.com
You can never have too much pumpkin :)
Seriously drooling over all of these pumpkin products! Last year I tried a pumpkin loaf from Trader Joe’s, and (no surprise) it was amazing. Sadly, I now live over an hour away from the nearest TJ’s, so will be living vicariously through this post, haha.
Kathryn • Simply KK
Yum I haven’t tried that yet! Haha oh no! Maybe make a special trip and stock up ;)
Shame on me but, I haven’t eaten nor tried a pumpkin before in my life. I must say these look delish. Having said that though I’m a huge herb tea drinker too. In fact I’m drinking tea now while typing this. Ha!
http://missymayification.blogspot.co.uk
Haha! I usually have a couple cups each day. Have a great Halloween :)
Trader Joe’s really does have the best pumpkin selection! Everything you bought looks so good. I want to try that yogurt!
Amy Ann
Straight A Style
It’s delicious! Perfect fall snack
I’ve never fully grasped the hype around pumpkins but I love this post haha! Would love to try the tea as well as the mini pumpking pies, they’re adorable! Xx
http://www.thefashionfolks.com
Haha yay glad you liked the post :) have a great Halloween!
Ooh I love this time of year because of all the pumpkin flavors that comes out. I need to try the pumpkin pasta from Trader Joe’s! They all sound so yummy.
xo,
http://aikocunanan.com/bomber-jacket/>
They have so many fun things right now! Hope you have a fun Halloween!
Love Trader Joe’s and those treats look amazing! I love anything that includes pumpkin!
Happy Monday, love!
xoxo, Vanessa
http://www.WhatWouldVWear.com
Me too :) Have a great Halloween, Vanessa!
YUM! Loving all the pumpkin. I recently made pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting that were delish. I need to check some of these products out next time I am at Trader Joes.
~Samantha
http://goldcoastgirlblog.com
Yum those sound amazing!!
Oh wow this all looks so good! I need a Trader Joes in my life!
Gemma x
http://www.jacquardflower.uk
It’s the best! Hope you have a great Monday!
TJ’s always has them most fun pumpkin spice things. I really need to try some of these the next time I am there!
Xoxo,
Whitney & Blaire
Peaches In A Pod
They definitely do! There are still more pumpkin items I’ve been eyeing!