Hi! My name is Kennedy, and in addition to being known as Seton Hallโs resident caffeine addict, Iโm also known for being pumpkin-obsessed.
Inspired by the good people of the Trader Joeโs production team, who attend a top-secret tasting panel months prior to my annual enjoyment of their frozen Pumpkin Waffles, I decided to put my money where my mouth is and embark on a full-fledged pumpkin-palooza.ย
I ate nothing but pumpkin products for 48 hours, and lived to tell the spooky tale.
1.ย The product must be pumpkin or pumpkin spice flavored โ no maple or apple cider here, folks.
2.ย While the product doesnโt have to include actual pumpkin, it does need to (at bare minimum) include pumpkin spice, aka the classic fall mix of nutmeg, allspice, clove, cinnamon, and occasionally ginger.
3.ย While pumpkin beverages are encouraged, they arenโt required
Still relishing in the fact that I had my first Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew of 2021 the day before, I woke up ready to take on a full day of classes, extracurriculars, and of course, pumpkin products.ย
Coffee: Trader Joeโs Pumpkin Spice Coffee & Benton’s Pumpkin Spice Crรจme Filled Wafer Rolls
The highlight of my morning is waking up and doing the crosswordย with a hot cup of coffee. I would be remiss not to mention TJs Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cups (thanks for the care package, Mom!), especially since they are a staple in my morning routine, and will be until December.
To complement my cup of pumpkin joe, I snacked on ALDI-brand Bentonโs Pumpkin Spice Crรจme Filled Wafer Rolls, the perfect light bite to wake me up. Though it was a little sweeter than I would have preferred for 6:30 in the morning, the texture was perfectly crisp โ bonus points for staying intact after being dipped in piping-hot coffee.
Rating: ๐๐๐๐/5
Breakfast: Nothing Bundt Pumpkin Spice Cake with SToK Pumpkin Cold Brew
You know what they say, go big or go home. Since I brought my pumpkin breakfast to the office, I had no choice but to go big and have cake for my morning meal: enter Nothing Bundt Cakesโ seasonal flavor, pumpkin spice. Luckily, my colleagues and supervisors were down for Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake before 9am, and what a great decision that was.
Nothing Bundt Cakesโ pumpkin spice offering is, Iโll say it, absolute perfection. Itโs a moist bundt cake thatโs not overwhelmingly pumpkin-flavored, and delicately spiced with seasonal favorites like clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon that makes each slice taste like fall. My supervisor described her slice as โto die for.โ
Also, I could bathe in the cream cheese icing. While it complemented the spiced cake, it was just as good (if not better) on its own.
Rating: ๐๐๐๐๐/5
To wash down the cake, I had a glass of SToKโs Pumpkin Creamed Cold Brew Coffee. Back by popular demand, STลK Pumpkin is a straight-up take on pumpkin-flavored cold brew that puts high-quality coffee at the forefront with a toasty signature spice blend for a bold, not-too-sweet pumpkin taste.
As a black coffee drinker, I LOVED the emphasis on coffee in SToKโs cold brew, which was nicely complemented (but not overwhelmed) by the coffee notes. To everyone who tells me that black cold brew is synonymous with motor oil: now itโs pumpkin-flavored, and better than ever.
Rating: ๐๐๐๐/5
Lunch: Pumpkin Pie Perfect Bar & Salad with Pepitas
For lunch, I opted for a protein-packed Pumpkin Pie Perfect Bar, which boasts 19g of healthy fats, 14g of protein, and 4g of fiber. In both taste and texture, Pumpkin Pie Perfect Bars are one of the most on-point tributes to the fall dessert staple taste-wise, but were a little less than perfect as a protein bar. Regardless of the texture not being my fave, the festive flavor was reminiscent of my favorite seasonal dessert.
Rating: ๐๐๐/5
I also wanted some color (that wasnโt orange) on my plate, so I had a mixed greens salad with balsamic dressing and threw some pepitas on top to stick with the theme. Very grateful that pumpkin-spiced salad dressing doesnโt exist (Paul Newman, if youโre reading this…please donโt).
Snack: Pumpkin-Spiced Caramel Almond Kind Bar
For snack, I opted for something that wasnโt super pumpkin forward, and went with a Caramel Almond Pumpkin Spice KIND Bar.
With crunchy almonds, smooth caramel, and a kick of pumpkin spice, this bar screams fall, but it ultimately falls short in terms of pumpkin flavor โ and thatโs coming from someone whoโs consumed nothing but pumpkin products for eight hours.
Rating: ๐๐๐/5
A Pumpkin Spice Oatmilk Draft Latte from La Colombe (my third cup of pumpkin coffee, if youโre counting) was a much-needed pick-me-up post-physics lab, and rounded out my afternoon snack.
The latte was more spice-y than pumpkin-y IMHO, especially since it wasnโt super creamy. While my intestines thanked me for the lack of lactose, Iโd choose an Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte from Dunkin’ instead.
Rating: ๐๐/5ย
Dinner: Halloween Pasta with Pumpkin Butternut Squash Chipotle Sauce
Call me childish, but Iโm a sucker for a shaped noodle — which is why I was instantly excited to try Regganoโs Halloween Pasta from ALDI, which was shaped like pumpkins, bats, skulls, spiders, and ghosts.
To top it off, I added Pumpkin Butternut Squash Chipotle Pasta Sauce, which was a cozy topping for my creepy carbs. While it wasnโt your traditional red sauce, it was a slightly-spicy (both chipotle spice and pumpkin spice), hearty, and warm sauce that made for a great pumpkin dinner.
Rating: ๐๐๐๐/5ย
Dessert: Nestle Toll House Pumpkin Cookies
If you know me, youโll know that a gooey, fresh-from-the-oven cookie is one of my favorite foods. I finished off Day One with the pumpkin edition of my go-to dessert, and Nestle Toll House lived up to all my expectations.
The dough was reminiscent of a pumpkin Snickerdoodle — sweet and spicy without being too overpowering. The white chocolate morsels mixed into the dough made Nestleโs Pumpkin Spice Cookie Dough the perfect pumpkin nightcap.
Rating: ๐๐๐๐/5
Day One Recap:
Somehow, I still LOVE pumpkin spice at the end of Day One. Iโm not counting my pumpkins before theyโre carved, though…we still have a full day of fall-themed eats to go.
By some small miracle, I did not turn into a pumpkin when the clock struck midnight. Instead, I woke up to crisp fall air (yay for below 50, finally!), somewhat concerned about the state of my intestines and definitely craving some salt. Nevertheless…clear eyes, full day of pumpkin eats, canโt lose.
Coffee: Califia Farms Pumpkin Spice Latte
For my first cup of the day (fourth of the pumpkin-palooza), I opted for Califia Farms Pumpkin Spice Latteย Cold Brew Coffee with Almond Milk.
I LOVED this cold take on the PSL: it was refreshing, creamy (despite being dairy-free!), and not too pumpkin-y for 7am. It was a little sweet for my black-coffee-loving self, but overall, I canโt complain.
Rating: ๐๐๐๐/5ย
Breakfast: Ellenos Pumpkin Pie Greek Yogurt
You guys. If you like Greek yogurt, stop what youโre doing and RUN, don’t walk, to buy Ellenos.
Not only is this some of the best Greek yogurt Iโve ever tasted, it was also one of my favorite pumpkin products. The top layer was rich (but weirdly light? Iโll take it), not-too-tangy Greek yogurt, and the bottom layer was a pumpkin pie-like filling that mixed so well into the yogurt.
Bonus points for including delicious, crunchy, cinnamon-y granola.
Rating: ๐๐๐๐๐/5
Lunch (Part I): Pumpkin Pie Lรคrabar
I also had this pumpkin lunch at work, which meant that I got to share this part of the pumpkin party with my coworkers. Unlike the bundt cake, though, the Pumpkin Pie Lรคrabar was described by my coworker as โa pumpkin punch to the face.โ
While it gets bonus points for minimally-processed ingredients, great texture, and snack-ability (it kept me energized without giving me that yucky protein bar feeling), it was a little too pumpkin-y for my 36th hour of fall-flavored eats.ย
Rating: ๐๐๐/5ย
Lunch (Part II): purely elizabeth. Pumpkin Cinnamon Granola with Trader Joeโs Pumpkin Spice Oat Beverage
This part of lunch was definitely the closest I got to โtoo much pumpkinโ — while Iโm a huge fan of each, together it was just a little overwhelming. The granola was crunchy and seasonally spice-y with a touch of pumpkin, while the non-dairy oat beverage was definitely pumpkin-flavored.
I appreciated how nutritionally dense the purely elizabeth. Pumpkin Cinnamon Ancient Grain Granola was; I didnโt have a ton and was still satisfied & energized. It was a great balance of salty, sweet, spicy, and pumpkin-y.
Rating: ๐๐๐๐/5
As for the TJ’sย Pumpkin Oat Beverage, it was…definitely pumpkin flavored. Iโm pretty sure this is the closest someone could come to drinking a pumpkin. Iโm glad it was non-dairy, but I donโt think I could stomach a whole glass of this alone.
Rating: ๐๐/5
Next time, Iโd enjoy the purely elizabeth. granola with plain milk or yogurt, and the Trader Joeโs Pumpkin Spice Oat Beverage would be a fun addition to coffee or oatmeal.
Snack: My/Mochi Pumpkin Spice Mochi
Before I get into my review, let me provide a disclaimer: I donโt like mochi, and I never have, yet was still compelled to try My/Mochi after rave reviews from my Spoon colleague.
Yโall….I am a Mochi Ice Cream convert. My/Mochiโs seasonal Pumpkin Spice was perfectly spice-y and perfectly pumpkin-y; it was a great mid-afternoon pumpkin-flavored pick-me-up.
Rating: ๐๐๐๐/5ย
After my snack, I decided to ~freshen up~ with Simply Pumpkin Spice Gum.
While I love Simply’s effort to create a gum that is plastic-free,ย pumpkin spice is not the flavor I want in my gum, nor do I want to feel like I’m chewing on a rubber eraser.
Rating: ๐/5
Dinner: Pumpkin Brioche Toast with Oui Dairy Free Pumpkin Caramel Yogurt
I channeled my inner @justine_snacks for this one, and tried to have a fun little toast ~moment~ for dinner โ emphasis on the word tried. My goal was to make Pumpkin Brioche toast topped with Oui Dairy Free Pumpkin Caramel Yogurt, but I neglected to factor in the caramel flavor, so my savory toast quickly turned sweet with an added touch of cinnamon.
Regardless, the Oui yogurt was delicious. Although it was a bit too sweet for my liking because of the caramel, it was perfectly pumpkin-y. Plus, I almost forgot the yogurt was dairy-free; the texture was satisfying without being heavy, and was complemented by the crunchy pumpkin brioche.
Rating: ๐๐๐/5ย
Dessert: Jeniโs Splendid Pumpkin Cake Roll Ice Cream
You know what they say…save the best for last. While โthe bestโ is a toss-up, Jeniโs fall flavor was not only one of my favorite pumpkin products, but favorite ice creams, period.
I am by no means an ice cream purist, and I was LIVING for the smooth, velvety, pumpkin ice cream with chunks of cream cheese and pumpkin cake roll mixed in. Every bite of Jeni’s Splendid Pumpkin Cake Roll Ice Cream was incredible, whether it was purely pumpkin or filled with gobs of cake roll. Iโll eat this ice cream year-round, pls & thanks.
Rating: ๐๐๐๐๐/5ย
Would I be okay if I never had another bite of pumpkin? No, no I would not.
While I was ready for something that was not a root vegetable or tasted like the smell of my roommateโs candle, I still absolutely love pumpkin.
I’m already counting down the days until I can enjoy Nothing Bundt Pumpkin Spice Cake, Ellenos Pumpkin Pie Greek Yogurt, SToK Pumpkin Creamed Cold Brew Coffee, and Jeni’s Pumpkin Cake Roll Ice Cream again next season
But for now, I’ll be resuming my status as a full-time #BasicWitch and eating ALL the pumpkin things until Halloween…just maybe not all at once.