Fall is right around the corner, and stores are starting to have more and more fall-themed items. Pumpkin spice is usually the main flavor, but Trader Joe’s has introduced a fall menu featuring many different flavors that make their food stand out. I decided to try to review some of these items so that you would know what is worth your money. I got as many fall things as possible, from frozen butternut squash mac and cheese to apple gummies. Here are my unfiltered reviews so you can know whether you should buy or say bye.
Maple Leaf Ice Cream Sandwiches
Starting strong, I tried the maple ice cream sandwiches. I usually love anything frozen and sweet at Trader Joe’s, and these sandwiches are no exception. These had a light and airy taste, and the maple taste was not too strong. The outside parts of the sandwich, the two cookies that hold it, together are maple cookies, while the inside is vanilla ice cream. This keeps the sandwiches with that maple taste from having maple on the top and bottom, and the vanilla helps to soften it. These sandwiches are also the perfect size. I can have one when I want a small treat without feeling like I had a full ice cream, but still feel like I had something. They are around palm-sized, maybe a bit bigger. They also come in a box of six, which was a nice surprise because the chipwiches that I usually get only have four per box. I really enjoyed these sandwiches, and I will definitely buy them again.Rating: 9.5/10 | Buy again: Definitely, I might go to Trader Joe’s just for them
Juicy Apple Gummy Candy
I have not tried apple gummies before, so this was a fun candy to try. They come in two flavors, sweet red and sour green, but I did not taste a difference between the two. They had a very powerful apple smell and taste. On the inside, they had a little pocket of syrup. But when I actually bit into it, there was not a lot of syrup. It was a nice little aspect that differentiates them from other regular gummies. Their taste reminded me of fall, like Granny Smith apples. In my opinion, they are a very nice little candy to have as a sweet treat, and brings you into the fall season without being too overpowering.
Rating: 7/10 | Buy again: If I see them as I’m walking out, and I am craving them
Honeycrisp Apple Granola
I was very excited to try this granola because I eat granola every morning with some yogurt and almond butter. I had high hopes for this granola because I love everything apple-flavored, and hoped it would taste like an apple pie. Eating the granola by itself was interesting because it had freeze-dried apples. I do not know what I was expecting from the apple taste, but it was not freeze-dried apples.
I might be biased, but in my opinion freeze-dried fruit has a very particular taste that I tasted immediately. While the initial flavor did throw me off, the aftertaste was very nice, almost like an apple pie. My final test was eating it with my yogurt in the morning to see how I liked it, and I hoped I would not taste the freeze-dried apples as much. Luckily, I did not taste any of the freeze-dried apple, but unfortunately, I did not taste anything else from the granola either. The almond butter I eat it with does have a strong taste, but I can still taste my usual granola underneath. Although there was a nice crunch from the freeze dried apples, I can get that easily from other granolas while still having a nice and strong taste. Overall, this granola really disappointed me, especially when I was so excited to try it.
I was very excited to try this granola because I eat granola every morning with some yogurt and almond butter. I had high hopes for this granola because I love everything apple-flavored, and hoped it would taste like an apple pie. Eating the granola by itself was interesting because it had freeze-dried apples. I do not know what I was expecting from the apple taste, but it was not freeze-dried apples.
I might be biased, but in my opinion freeze-dried fruit has a very particular taste that I tasted immediately. While the initial flavor did throw me off, the aftertaste was very nice, almost like an apple pie. My final test was eating it with my yogurt in the morning to see how I liked it, and I hoped I would not taste the freeze-dried apples as much. Luckily, I did not taste any of the freeze-dried apple, but unfortunately, I did not taste anything else from the granola either. The almond butter I eat it with does have a strong taste, but I can still taste my usual granola underneath. Although there was a nice crunch from the freeze dried apples, I can get that easily from other granolas while still having a nice and strong taste. Overall, this granola really disappointed me, especially when I was so excited to try it.Rating: 4/10 | Buy again: No, unless I start liking freeze-dried fruit
Chocolate Mousse Pumpkins
For each new season or holiday, I always try to get the holiday mousse cakes, and this fall, it was no exception. These mousse cakes are all similar; the only difference is that they come in various designs. These came in the shape of cute pumpkins, but they do not have any pumpkin flavoring.
They have a moist chocolate cake on the bottom, with a thick layer of mousse on top, covered in a thin layer of chocolate. When you bite into them, they melt on your fingers, so you have to eat them fast. They are very decadent, but are a nice dessert to indulge in.Rating: 6.5/10 | Buy again: Probably not the pumpkin ones, but I’ll get the next seasons
Maple Fudge
Usually, I do not love fudge, but I wanted to try something new, and I like the maple flavor. I am used to having chocolate fudge, which is very rich and almost moist. I knew this would not be chocolate, which is why I was more open to trying it.
The
consistency of this fudge was very dry and almost crumbly, but in the best way possible. It was called maple fudge, but the maple flavor was not super strong, which was nice because it was not overpowering. There are not a lot of them in the container, so they are meant to be eaten sparingly and not a lot at once. Overall, I enjoyed them, and I thought they were something fun to try. I am not sure if I will get them again though, because I like other candies better.
Usually, I do not love fudge, but I wanted to try something new, and I like the maple flavor. I am used to having chocolate fudge, which is very rich and almost moist. I knew this would not be chocolate, which is why I was more open to trying it.
The consistency of this fudge was very dry and almost crumbly, but in the best way possible. It was called maple fudge, but the maple flavor was not super strong, which was nice because it was not overpowering. There are not a lot of them in the container, so they are meant to be eaten sparingly and not a lot at once. Overall, I enjoyed them, and I thought they were something fun to try. I am not sure if I will get them again though, because I like other candies better.Rating: 5.5/10 | Buy again: Probably not
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
The next thing I tried was the Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese. This was something I was not super confident about, because I do not usually like butternut squash. But to my surprise, I really enjoyed it. It tasted very good, with lots of warm spices that made it taste different from regular mac and cheese. It did not have a strong squash taste, but I could taste the squash underneath the spices.
The squash made it taste like soup and gave it a thicker and almost starchy texture. It was not like anything I have had before. It was mac and cheese, but the cheese flavor was smothered by the taste of the spicesand squash. This was frozen food, so I followed the instructions very carefully. I had to poke holes in the container and heat it in the microwave for five to six minutes, let it rest for one minute, then stir and enjoy. It was very easy and quick, and took around ten minutes. Sometimes frozen foods are still cold on the inside, but this was warm and melted, and did not take much time or effort to make.
Rating: 7/10 | Buy again: Yes!
I really enjoyed all the fall items from Trader Joe’s, and I think their fall collection was very creative and different from other fall collections that I have had. It included flavors beyond just pumpkin, like apple and maple, and offered a variety of options from lunch to ice cream. In my opinion, my number one buy is the Maple Ice Cream Sandwiches, but you can say bye to the Honeycrisp Granola. And with winter just around the corner, I can not wait to see what they hanext.
Eliza • Dec 4, 2025 at 11:10 AM
This is very well written artilcle! You should review the winter menu!