We Hired a Food Scientist to Rank Trader Joe’s Fall Foods. These Were His Favorites.

With cinnamon brooms out and long sleeves back in the rotation, fall is officially here. For Trader Joe’s fans, the changing of the leaves also means the changing of grocery shelves — pumpkin season is back and bigger than ever.

At FinanceBuzz, we love saving people money on everyday purchases. But with dozens of new fall-inspired foods at Trader Joe’s this Pumpkin Palooza, we needed to figure out which pumpkin products are a must-buy and which are better left on the shelves. To do that, we needed some help.

Last month, our team at FinanceBuzz sought to hire a Pumpkin Spice Pundit to taste test Trader Joe’s 2024 pumpkin line-up, from snack foods to desserts. After a nationwide search and more than 20,000 applicants, we selected our 2024 Pumpkin Spice Pundit: Liam MacLeod, a food scientist from Denver, Colorado.

We selected Liam because he’s literally the expert on all things food-related. After attending the illustrious Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Liam spent years working in fine dining, cooking for meal services, and consulting restaurants on menu design, recipe development, and process optimization. From there, Liam landed his dream job (other than this one): managing an R&D food laboratory where he designs soups, snacks, baked goods, and more for chain restaurants and businesses.

In addition to knowing everything there is to know about what makes America’s favorite flavors, Liam is also a pumpkin super fan. “I adore pumpkin everything (especially within the Trader Joe's catalog), and I love providing recommendations to consumers in their everyday lives,” Liam wrote in his application.

So which Trader Joe’s fall foods are worth stocking up on until next season, and which are better left on the shelf? We had Liam rank the best fall foods and give his input.

The answer is yes. I ate these, and so did my fiancee (I didn't force her, I promise). I have developed a few different dog foods in the past, so I am no stranger to tasting the treats before commercialization. Did I like them? Absolutely 100% NO.

Now that's unfair, so I decided to outsource tasting to the resident expert in our home: the wonderful little Oliver. He tells me he appreciates the strong molasses aroma and that the dry, chewy texture kept him occupied for a little bit. He also loves that they do not contain any major canine allergens, as he is allergic to poultry. It's a win for him. The Liam score? 0/10. The fiancee score? 3/10 (I don't understand her grading scale). The good boy score, though? 15/10.

I'm not entirely sure Trader Joe's knows what a blondie is. If you're imagining a dense brownie without cocoa and instead some nice warm spices, prepare to be disappointed. What this is, however, is a muffin mix in the shape of blondies. 

And unfortunately, this is actually a solid muffin. It's moist, not overwhelmingly sweet, and nails the spice profile. If this sounds good to you, I would recommend buying the dry mix and making the muffins yourself — it would be much cheaper. But I have to grade this as a blondie, which it isn't, so it has to be a 1/10.

This might be for you if you love Rumchata or Bailey's, but it is more or less a worse alternative to those two. Much worse, in fact. I understand it's a cocktail made with orange wine, but the fact that it's opaque white while being made with wine in the first place is rather off-putting.

This does not come with an ingredient statement, given that it is a cocktail. However, given the bizarre quality of sweetness, I suspect there may be some sugar-free sweetener as well. 1/10. Stick with Bailey's.

Texture, texture, texture. I completely understand those who require gluten-free items. Unfortunately, in this case, it has to come in the form of rice flour. There is a gritty, uncooked flour quality indicative of rice flour that really ruins the experience.

On top of this, rice flour isn't quite as hydrophilic as wheat, causing a naturally drier texture. For this reason it's a great ingredient for fried foods, but not so much for baked goods. If you happen to be gluten-free, I would recommend gravitating toward foods that are inherently without gluten rather than this. 2/10.

Remember what Team Germany did to Team Brazil in the 2014 FIFA World Cup? 7-1. In the equally cutthroat world of cookie warfare, Oreos eviscerated Hydrox in much the same manner. They have been the king of the sandwich cookie market ever since, and for good reason.

Enter Joe-Joe's: the valiant effort of Trader Joe's to dip a toe into that pool. I had high hopes, as Trader Joe's rarely misses. Unfortunately, this is one of those times. The cookie is a graham cracker with a little added cinnamon. It sounds nice, but it’s just a touch too thick, making the cream-to-cookie ratio noticeably off.

The cream itself is akin to that of an Oreo that has been in your pantry for a year — crumbly and chalky. On the pumpkin front, the ingredient statement only itemizes cinnamon and nutmeg as the spice profile. I am sorry to say ginger, cardamom, clove, and allspice are nowhere to be found. Perhaps there was an attempt to achieve the remaining profile via natural flavor, but it’s not in any quantity that can be observed in the finished product.

Save your money, shop Oreo. 2/10. Hail to the king.

We all love Cheerios, and we all love Apple Jacks. We all don't love Pumpkin O's, however. Pumpkin Spice-y? Absolutely. However they are in a different stratosphere of sweet, and I adore sweet cereals.

They are made of puffed rice, which isn't a problem, but the form is slightly too large, and rice has a nasty habit of leaving a granular texture in your mouth. Great for those eating gluten-free, but it absolutely sacrifices texture.

What I can say is that rice generally fares better in the face of becoming stale. You'll need this benefit too, as I would expect these to sit on your shelf for a good while. 3/10.

I love a good cream soup. I am originally a New Englander, after all. This one checks off some boxes as well. It has the vegetal squashiness you expect with a beautifully smooth and creamy texture.

That being said, there is one small issue, and it comes in the form of Apple Cider Vinegar. Make no mistake, I find it to be a great addition to the flavor, but it's just a bit too much. So much so that it is the first thought that comes to mind when tasting. If they were to lower the quantity, say, 20%, I think we would have a winner. But until then, 4/10.

This one threw me for a loop. Upon tasting, I find the butter itself to be much too sweet, with more of a heavy clove flavor specifically over pumpkin spice.

By itself, this product is a disappointing 4/10. However, I noticed something on the packaging. A usage suggestion is to mix it with a small quantity of sour cream and thin it with milk for a "delicious pumpkin soup." That sounded absolutely wild to me, so I gave it a go. What a transformation. The soup is smooth, creamy, just slightly tangy, and loaded with flavor.

In fact, I prefer this over the Pumpkin Bisque. Prepared this way, we are looking at a solid 7/10, but like the Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps, we aren't rating based on potential.

Well, aren't these precious? They look like marzipan figurines made by little Hans in the cobblestone streets of Lübeck, Germany. These can be forgiven for not containing pumpkin spice flavors. Instead, they're a blend of white, dark, and milk chocolates with caramel and gianduja fillings. 

You can't exactly look at a molded piece of white chocolate corn and expect it to taste like cinnamon.  Tasty, but there are better chocolates out there for much less money. 4/10.

To be honest, there wasn't much here for these to get me excited. The wafer is flavorless (common for this type of cookie), and it would appear they use a filling that’s similar to the yogurt coating on the exterior of Joe-Joes. It's just that these have sea salt, which adds a little excitement. There is pumpkin flavor for sure — just nothing else that separates these from the pack. 5/10.

I found these to be nearly indistinguishable from Nutrigrain Apple-Cinnamon Bars without a side-by-side comparison. Even looking at the ingredient statement, apple is listed in a greater quantity than pumpkin, and it is very cinnamon-forward. In my case, these were slightly more expensive than the average Nutrigrain, and given their distinct similarity, I may suggest sticking with those and saving a few cents. 5/10.

I believe pumpkin is a criminally under-utilized ingredient in savory applications. Everyone is high on butternut squash, zucchini, acorn squash, etc., but you rarely ever see pumpkin on the dinner menu outside of Mexico.

These certainly lean heavily on the rosemary and thyme profile over the pumpkin spice, but there is just enough dehydrated pumpkin powder to fit it into the category. The tough part for me is the form factor. The Trader Joe's Crisps are generally meant as a vehicle for the star of the show — cheese, fruit, honey, etc. By nature of this, they can't be that good. Robin will never overshadow Batman, and because of this, these are objectively a 6/10.

With a sharp cheddar and slice of green apple? 9/10 all day, but we can't rate based on potential.

I didn't have the highest hopes for these cookies. I am happy to say, however, that these are a remarkable improvement over the plain Pumpkin Flavored version. The yogurt coating adds much of the desperately needed pumpkin spice profile, but wait! There's more!

For an extra je ne se quois, the mad lads at Trader Joe's sprinkled a tiny bit of sea salt in every bite. The drawback to the yogurt, however, is that you can't separate the cookies as you would an Oreo. It's not that you'd want to, though — the cream is still quite poor. Definitely invest in a pack of Oreos instead.

However, rest assured that if, or when, you receive these as a gift, it will actually be a genuine gesture rather than your friend peddling off the financial mistake of the naked variant. 6/10.

A common trick when cooking for someone who is lactose intolerant is to use butternut squash puree. Thinned out with a little water, it actually has a very similar texture to cream. That being said, making a low-fat mac & cheese bite in which the cheese is offset with squash is an excellent idea.

These have a great combo of smooth and crunchy textures, and the mac isn't mush. The only concern is that, when substituting cheese, you need to account for the loss of salt. With a little extra pinch, these would be a bit higher. 7/10.

I prefer my ice cream in a cup over a cone. When I have a cone in my hand, the situation inevitably becomes a sticky mess of old dairy. These adorable little baby cones alleviate that, however. They are small enough to eat even before they melt!

And you will, but not because of the ice cream, but because of the star of the show: the cone. The ice cream tastes relatively like pumpkin — really just sweet. The outer coating is more of the same, which causes you to have to bite directly into the ice cream (sensitive teeth beware).

But the cone is essentially a ginger cookie rolled off of a waffle iron. A relatively average item overall, but the cone bumps it up to a 7/10.

Sam Adams has had the pumpkin beer industry in a chokehold for years now, but if you're age 21 or older and in the mood to try something new, give Howling Gourds a try! It has a universally appealing ale flavor with a delightfully inoffensive bit of sweetness. 

I think there is something for everyone here, but the big draw is that this one can of beer was $1.09 (at least in Denver). That's a drop in the bucket compared to most beer these days, so go ahead and pick up a six-pack! 7/10.

Picture what you expect these to taste like. Bingo, you got it. Sweet, spice-forward, orange color. What else can be said? I bet they would make a mean trifle of some kind. Just an idea. 7/10.

When I was in the 2nd grade, I had a teacher who would reward us with frosted animal crackers after a correct answer. Since then, I have associated them with success and have loved them ever since.

Imagine my excitement when cracking open this box to find cookies that look nearly identical to those pink and white beauties. Upon tasting, they are certainly different and a little unexpected.

The coating is flawless — exactly as cloyingly sweet with the little crunch of the sugar pearls just as I expected. The cookie really leans in on its ginger and molasses profile, making it slightly more reminiscent of a ginger snap than pumpkin spice. Certainly not bad, but, I can't help but think of winter rather than fall. 7/10.

So, these should really be named "Pumpkin Cheesecake Pastries," as a croissant would indicate a shape. Don't get me wrong, though — these are great if you have the patience! These are puff pastry squares with a smooth, spiced cheesecake glob on top.

There is an undeniable presence of actual pumpkin in there as well, so you're basically eating a vegetable (wink, wink). Two points regarding the preparation, however: 1. It's easy to forget the step of thawing this item out before baking. For a fluffy pastry, you're going to want to remember that step. And 2. I actually baked these for half the time suggested, and it was perfectly done (just on the cusp of too dark). I am using a precision oven as well, so I am unsure how the product developers baked theirs. 8/10. Very Nice!

What a surprise! I am generally not a fan of biscotti. I find it to be more or less empty calories that no one ever really asks for, but instead is thrust upon you by your 88-year-old grandma while she has her 2 p.m. Folger's. 

On the other hand, this cookie can stand by itself! Picture a ginger snap, but instead of just exclusively molasses and ginger, you are met with the perfect combination of pumpkin spice flavors. It can also elevate a completely overpowered cup of instant coffee prepared by someone whose tastebuds just aren't what they used to be. 8/10.

I lived in Philadelphia for a brief period of my life, and La Colombe Cafés were a frequent go-to. The nitro draft latte they offer is so unbelievably unique that you just had to have it. The cans are excellent, too, though not quite as foamy. They are offered in regular, mocha, caramel, vanilla, and now pumpkin variants. 

The pumpkin draft has such a nicely balanced sweetness with just the right amount of pumpkin spice. The only drawback is its price. With a name brand such as La Colombe, it may not be the most cost-friendly coffee. But if you're feeling funky, give it a try! 8/10.

Two minutes in boiling water and you have pillowy orange-colored gnocchi to pair with whatever sauce you please. There really isn't anything to complain about here — pumpkin is noticeable by the eyes and the taste buds, the texture is nice, and there is a subtle sweetness to them. 

I paired them with the Trader Joe's Autumn Harvest Creamy Pasta Sauce, Parmigiano Reggiano, fried sage leaves, and herb oil. However, they are an excellent canvas for whatever you'd like to do with them. Just make sure to salt the boiling water first. 8/10.

Mostly cinnamon-forward, with the pumpkin portion being more or less just a color, this did make an absolutely excellent French toast. Just slightly sweetened with enough structure to hold up to the custard mix well, I can't really think of a better option to do so. I paired it with the pumpkin butter, however a simple maple syrup would have been a better option. 8/10.

This bag of chips is one of the most intelligently designed products I have seen on store shelves in the past year. Pumpkin is frequently used in Mexican cuisine, and putting pumpkin in your masa dough for tortillas is an excellent combination.

To take it a step further, Trader Joe's then added visible granules of pumpkin seed to really drive the point home. Cinnamon and nutmeg are present enough to call it pumpkin spice, but these are 100% nestled in the savory space. If you're expecting Stacy's Cinnamon Pita Chips, think again. And unlike the Cranberry Crisps, these chips can stand alone. 8/10.

Okay, look. I get that this fusion of flavors may sound strange, and the color is slightly off-putting. But hear me out: This product is a win. They managed to maintain the identity of a salsa verde while adding plenty of warm, fall flavor. And not just pumpkin either. 

The yellow-orange is from a butternut puree, and those little crunchy sweet bits? Apple. Excellent ratios of sweet, savory, and spices. 8/10. Buy it with the tortilla chips for a complete experience.

This sauce is great. Period. Here's a little secret: all tomato sauce needs a little added sweetness, usually in the form of just a tiny amount of sugar. It softens the often harsh acids in the tomato itself. In this case, pumpkin gives it the sweetness you're looking for. It's an awesome color, very smooth, and as far as instructions go, heat and serve! Give it a try with the Pumpkin Gnocchi or the Honey-Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli. 9/10.

I find the cold brew concentrates to be some of the best off-the-shelf offerings of Trader Joe's. Somehow, the concentrate really achieves a fresh-brewed quality without any of the burnt bitterness associated with most pre-made coffees. The pumpkin spice version is no different. It is fantastic, and the suggested ratio of 2 parts milk to 1 part coffee makes the perfect pumpkin spice latte. That, and the usage rate is low, making your dollar go just a little further. 9/10.

O&H Danish Bakery is not a Trader Joe's exclusive. In fact, you can order pastries directly from their website to your front door. It's a great service, but I couldn't say no when I saw their Fall Kringle in Trader Joe's. The pastry is soft, crumbly, and loaded with a nicely spiced pumpkin pie filling. The icing is mega-sweet, but it's icing, and that's exactly what I wanted to see. 

Pecan crumble on top gives it a different texture and also adds a little welcomed maple quality. The butter is noticeable, which is perfect. However, I would very much suggest eating it quickly and/or storing it under refrigeration. 9/10.

Teeny tiny pretzels are a teeny tiny treat that excited my teeny tiny taste buds. The pumpkin spice profile can often be overpowering, but these must have a teeny tiny amount of spices, and/or achieve the profile with just the right amount of natural flavor. Raw spices can be acrid, tannic, and bitter, and these pretzels contain none of these properties. 

Interestingly, the ingredient statement claims it contains teeny tiny pumpkin seeds too, which absolutely alleviates my teeny tiny issue with the mousse cake bites. Move over Flipz, these teeny tiny snacks are a teeny tiny problem for you. 9/10.

While not “technically” pumpkin, I found these as a Fall Limited Time Offer, and oh my goodness. Do yourself a favor and run to the store. Buy every single box of these off the shelf. The instructions are simple, the pastry is crispy, the squash is so smooth, and they are topped with a dollup of garlicky cream cheese. The salt/sweet/savory ratio is flawless. Go ahead and tell everyone at your dinner party you made them from scratch. You deserve the attention.

I have spent much of my career as a fine-dining chef and caterer, and let me tell you, if these were served to me at a fancy event, I would eat 50. 10/10. Absolutely fabulous.

Trader Joe's is your one-stop shop for almost anything you’ll need to satisfy your fall cravings, but you can save some of your grocery budget by following our Pumpkin Pundit’s advice. While you won’t have an expert to guide you through the rest of your grocery list, that doesn’t mean savings have to stop.

Make sure to use one of the best credit cards for buying groceries to rack up rewards while shopping and one of the best credit cards for gas to help you get to the store.

And by using an intuitive budgeting app, you can also make sure your fall foods fit your budget so you can reach your financial goals faster.

Responses were lightly edited for length and clarity.