Pumpkin is spicing it up: Everyone’s favorite fall flavor

psl keep calmIf you think you are basic enough, you should grab your Uggs, and put them on with your leggings and your North Face jacket and head on into the store to buy some of these products to get ready for this fall season.

There is the classic Starbucks drink, the pumpkin spice latte, the original toasty, foamy cup of goodness that started this whole trend.  This year’s new and improved version has promised that there is actually pumpkin in the flavoring. In previous fall-tastic versions of this drink, the “latte included two doses of caramel color level IV, a coloring made with ammonia that contains the substance 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), and artificial flavors reportedly made from substances like petroleum” according to yahoonews.com.  In response to public outrage, Starbucks announced the change in recipe and their full ingredient list.  This now reinvented  treat includes espresso, milk, whipped cream, vanilla syrup, pumpkin spice flavor sauce, and pumpkin spice topping.  While there are still some preservatives in it, at least now there is definitely some pumpkin puree added.psl starbucks

David’s Tea Fall Tea Collection is a very expensive way to get your fall flavor pick-me-up including Honeycrisp Apple, Pumpkin Chai, Nutty by Nature, Cranberry Orange Muffin, and Peanut Butter Cup. All five are $25 online.

 

 

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Gevalia makes a K-cup with a cute little packet of latte froth that is added before the coffee goes in the mug. The box makes the drink look tastier than it probably is, unless you carry around with you at all times a little packet of cinnamon to sprinkle on the top, but I am sure it is still quite enjoyable.

Who wouldn’t love a hearty bowl of healthy pumpkin spice oatmeal? It is a limited edition by Quaker, so get it while it is in stores before it is gone.

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Thomas’, the same bakers who bring you English muffins, are trying their hands at baking limited edition pumpkin spice flavored English muffins as well as bagels. I wonder if they have pumpkin spice flavored cream cheese somewhere.  Oh, why, yes, in fact they do!  You can add that to the top of your toasted bagel.

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Chiobani has an array of fall flavored creamy yogurt love.  These include pumpkin harvest crisp yogurt with a little delicious side container of pie crust, pecans, and glazed pumpkin seeds to mix into the Greek goodness. There are two others, a cinnamon pear blended flavor that is sure to please, and the traditional pumpkin spice.

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Grands has a new version of Cinnabon cinnamon rolls with pumpkin spice flavor specks as well as pumpkin spice flavored icing.  That’s a winning combination right there.

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Like your applesauce-to-go pouches?  This fall you can add a new flavor to the Go-Go Squeeze line up, apple pumpkin spice.  This could be a fantastic topping for ice cream, waffles, or even pork chops or ham.

Planter’s has a new line of almonds dusted with pumpkin powder, ginger, cinnamon, and brown sugar.

Pillsbury’s famous line of ready to bake cookies includes a flavorful variety of pumpkin spice cookies dotted with dreamy cream cheese chips.  Heavenly.

Tollhouse, not to be outdone by Pillsbury’s cookies, introduced their own Harvest Apple ready-to-bake cookie dough, which is dough with apple pieces baked with apple flavored filling and cinnamon.

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M&Ms has introduced several new fall varieties and I am not entirely sure all of them are going to be good.  You can try them though, and judge for yourself.  The first of these is a pecan pie version. Sounds… interesting. They also will have a classic pumpkin spice latte version and a white candy corn flavor.  Is this just the flavor of the shell or the inside?  Not sure.  Be sure to write to us when you try them! I’ll stick to plain and peanut M&Ms, thanks.

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Hostess has a pumpkin spice cupcake filled with cream filling and icing, with jaunty little fall shaped and colored sprinkles on top.  Count me in—just for the icing. They also have maple-glazed mini donuts.  I’d rather have apple cider donuts from Pennings, but these might satisfy a major sweet tooth.

 
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Frosted Mini Wheats has their own new fall variety as well.  It is the classic wheat topped with cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg.  This sounds quite tasty, especially with some nice cold milk.

Jif has introduced a peanut butter whipped with pumpkin pie spices.  Again, this doesn’t float my boat, but if you think you’d enjoy some of this in your sandwich or spread on some crackers—go for it.

Pepperidge Farm has introduced a Caramel Apple Swirl Bread.  Maybe you could use some of your Jif on this bread? It is laced with apple chunks and cinnamon and caramel swirls. They also have Caramel Apple Pie cookies—basically the same thing just blended into a cookie rather than bread. You could also try their classic Milano cookies, typically made with a chocolate filling, made instead with pumpkin spice filling.psl foodies 3

 

 

 

 

 

Peeps have a pumpkin spice flavored marshmallow chicky dipped in white fudge. Eww. Many people don’t like these to begin with; doing this to them somehow makes it worse.

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Special K has developed an Apple Cinnamon Crunch cereal, which sounds delish.  It is the regular cereal with little clusters of apple cinnamon goodness.

Pop Tarts has a pumpkin pie filling with a sweet white sprinkle speckled topping.  I don’t like Pop Tarts regularly, so I doubt I’d like pumpkin pie ones, but have at it if you like them.psl collage 2 greatideas

Terra Chips has a sweet potato chip that is Pumpkin Spice flavored with some cinnamon and nutmeg nuances thrown in. I bet there is a pumpkin spice chip dip available somewhere.  Or you could make one with sour cream and pie spices—or not.

Brach’s, known for their traditional candy corn confections, has added a tan, orange, and yellow pumpkin spice version.

Oreo has gotten in on the trend, though they have taken some of their creations a little too far lately, this one looks pretty good.  It is a vanilla cookie with orange pumpkin filling.

Eggo waffles have a new Seasons line including pumpkin spice, which is probably pretty darn amazing with maple syrup slathered all over it.

There are a ton more products that deserve mentioning, including Trident and Extra pumpkin gum, Twizzlers, plenty of other brands of yogurt and spiced nuts, various coffee creamers, ice cream sandwich bars with pumpkin filling, Jell-O pudding in pumpkin spice, Pillsbury Toaster Strudels, Hungry Jack pumpkin spice pancake mix, Keebler Stripes cookies in pumpkin with white icing,  psl fudge stripesChex Pumpkin Party Mix, Nonni’s pumpkin spice biscotti (probably fantastic dipped in your classic pumpkin spice latte), pumpkin Twinkies, Hershey “spicy” Kisses, Jet-Puffed pumpkin marshmallows, Doritoes and Pringles have their own pumpkiny chips, and Country Crock has a pumpkin spice imitation butter spread.  Perhaps the most  disgusting new creations of them all, pumpkin spice Listerine breath strips, Crest toothpaste, and pumpkin spice Ramen Noodles!  Yes, even the 15 cent packs of Chinese style noodles are cashing in on the new craze.

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The question then becomes, have we pumpkin-ed ourselves out?  Have we pushed the limits too far?  Only you can decide.

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