Trader Joe’s embraced the fall season by releasing their collection of maple and pumpkin fall treats. The “Tribune” staff reviewed six of the many fall items available at Trader Joe’s for quick tips on how to snack wisely.
The popular grocer takes the cake for their selection of fall snacks with a wide selection of sweets. The following treats were rated on a 10 point scale by each student staff member based on the texture, looks, sweetness, and overall taste of the snack.
Pumpkin Blondie
Beginning with the pumpkin blondies, the dessert favorites looked extremely appetizing and were topped with a white chocolate drizzle. The flavors of pumpkin and nutmeg complimented each other well, adding to the enjoyment of the treat. The soft and moist texture was offset just a bit, though, by the chunks of pecans and white chocolate chips. Unfortunately, some members of the staff felt the pecans were an unnecessary addition, and the heaviness took this treat down a level. The class averaged a rating of 7.3/10.
Maple Fudge
TJ’s maple fudge was unappetizingly caramel-colored and cut into square pieces. The intense sweetness of the fudge was countered nicely by its salty flavor. Yet, the overwhelming strong flavor of the maple and the sweetness in the fudge made it impossible to eat more than a few pieces without feeling sick. The dense and dry texture led to a devastating average rating of 3.4/10.
Maple Kettle Corn
This sugar-covered popcorn was extremely snack-able and almost addicting. It was the perfect fall combination of sweet and salty, like an elevated version of kettle corn. Surprisingly, unlike the maple fudge, it wasn’t overly sweet, however. There was nothing negative to say about this delicious snack. The popcorn earned an excellent average rating of 9.7/10.
Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Cake
The Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Cake did not only appeal to the taste, but also to the eyes. A chocolate cake topped with chocolate mousse covered in orange and green frosting to perfectly mimic a pumpkin. The chocolate cake was flawlessly complemented by an airy and light chocolate mousse. Although the cake lacked any truly seasonal flavors, its rich mix of flavors left the classroom with a warm fall feeling. The cake received an average rating of 8.5/10.
Mini Maple Marshmallows
These vegan and gluten free marshmallows were tan colored,square shaped, and not very visually appealing. Immediately upon opening the bag, the smell of maple was overwhelming–in not the best ways. Although, after taking the first bite, the maple flavor was not intensely strong. These festive marshmallows would be delicious on top of a fresh glass of hot chocolate or baked into a fall cookie. They came around to earn an average rating of 7.7/10.
Pumpkin Spiced Yogurt Covered Joe-Joe’s
These Joe-Joe’s cookies, which make an appearance in some fashion throughout the year, were covered in pumpkin spice yogurt and drizzled with white chocolate. The pumpkin spice was very strong, with flavors like ginger and nutmeg. These Joe Joe’s would be perfect on an empty stomach, but were not as mouth watering while being full. The average rating for these coated cookies was an 8.25/10, merely based on initial taste.
Trader Joe’s stumbled on the heaviness and density of some snacks, but overall created versatile sweets with warm fall flavors. For full-blown Fall Lovers, Trader Joe’s has many other options including Butternut Squash Ravioli, Pumpkin Biscotti, Pumpkin Bagels, and more.
