As the air turns crisp and bright leaves fall from the trees lining President’s Lawn, a familiar taste of cinnamon, maple and chai — and perhaps some notes of consumerism — fills the aisles of a fan-favorite grocery store: Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s is known for embracing seasonal varieties in their products year-round, from featuring tropical lemonades and strawberry rhubarb-flavored desserts in the summertime to peppermint candies and treats in the winter.
As autumn begins its course, the grocery store ramps up its new batch of offerings, adding fall twists to customers’ favorite meals and snacks. A few include sliced apple cinnamon sourdough bread, pumpkin cranberry crisps, butternut squash Italian lasagna and pumpkin bisque. Along with classic sweet treats like apple cider donuts and pumpkin Joe-Joe’s cookies, Trader Joe’s also offers home and body items such as fall-scented candles, wool garlands and other autumn-themed decorations. In other words, Trader Joe’s has something for everyone looking to bring elements of a classic fall day into their space.
Kamai, a worker at the Trader Joe’s in Cambridge for the past year, commented on the environment at this time, noting the demand she’s seen from customers in recent weeks.
“We had these maple leaf ice cream sandwiches, and [they] went out so fast to the point where … they’ve been out completely,” Kamai said.
One of her favorite fall items is the maple leaf cookies, but she’s also tried the fall leaf corn tortilla chips, which she recommends.
I, for one, stocked up on countless snacks while at Trader Joe’s — most aligning with the theme of fall. One of my most beloved items from the store is the Hold the Cone! mini ice cream cones. This season, they released a pumpkin version — the best addition to an already delightful treat and a great way to unwind after classes. Additionally, I picked up a maple and sea salt kettle corn and petite pumpkin spice cookies. My options were slightly limited, though, as living in a dorm means sticking mostly to non-perishables and ready-to-eat food.
As a sophomore living in a suite-style dorm with a kitchen, Arwen Mantilla is able to embrace a wider variety of Trader Joe’s items. As a self-proclaimed fan of fall flavors, Trader Joe’s new line of products is exciting for her.
Last year, she tried a few items, a notable one being the pumpkin spiced Joe-Joe’s sandwich cookies, which she plans to get again this year. According to Mantilla, they are great for snacking or giving out at parties. Having access to a kitchen has also expanded her options for cooking and baking.
“I’ve gotten their pumpkin bread baking mix,” she said. “[That] was really good. It’s super easy too because it’s [a] box mix. … I’m a big fan of pumpkin bread in general.”
When she went earlier this month to the Boylston Street Trader Joe’s, she noticed that there were just a few left of both the pumpkin brioche twist and the pumpkin spice mini sheet cake — another favorite of hers — signaling the rising popularity of these items.
The fall flavor craze comes with trial and error, of course, and while I liked the petite pumpkin spice cookies, Mantilla found them to be a bit too sweet.
“I would get the Joe Joe’s over those,” she said.
The enthusiasm for Trader Joe’s fall items is felt internationally, too. Emily Shadron, a junior studying abroad in Paris, said she would go to Trader Joe’s once a week while in the U.S.
“I didn’t expect to miss a classic Trader Joe’s experience,” Shadron said. “Something I’ve noticed is that they don’t really lean into the commercialization of fall here.”
Looking back on her fall experience in the U.S., Shadron recalled that some of her favorite Trader Joe’s items were pumpkin spice cold brew coffee concentrate, pumpkin spice rooibos tea and the maple spiced nut mix.
“Those are the main things I go toward, but it’s also just [that] the fun of switching up my normal grocery shopping with some fall items is always really nice,” Shadron said.
Shadron is also a fan of hosting. She enjoys providing her friends with seasonal snacks when they hang out at her house, even doing group taste tests on occasion.
She also mentioned her liking for soup, especially as the weather gets chillier — it’s the perfect season to cozy up with a warm mug. Shadron especially enjoys butternut squash and pumpkin soups at this time of year. Trader Joe’s autumnal harvest soup is perfect to satisfy that craving, combining a rich simmered tomato base with harvest produce like squash. No matter the occasion, she stocks up, noting that “you can never have enough soup.” That is especially true for those living in dorms without much fridge space who are looking to buy non-perishable items.
Although Shadron is currently far from the nearest Trader Joe’s, she relates to the excitement of fall and trying new things.
“It’s kind of like a surprise every time you go in,” she said.
Trader Joe’s fall items mark the start of its ‘festive season,’ as the store continues to attract customers with its wide variety of products, carrying on into the winter season. As hosting friends and family increases nationwide during this cozy, holiday-filled season, so does cooking, baking and snacking. What better way to bring people together than with food? Maybe only with food that is sprinkled and spiced with every element of fall imaginable.
