Blakelee Bartik / Cheapism
It’s that time of year again: Pumpkin spice season! If there’s any grocery store that really goes all out with the PS stuff, it’s Trader Joe’s. You can find the gourd and festive spices in practically every aisle right now, and there's probably more to come. We went to our local TJ’s to scope out what’s available to get you in the autumnal spirit.
$9.99
Kringle is a large, flaky Danish pastry that’s a specialty of Wisconsin. TJ’s carries fruit or almond-filled kringles year round, but right now it’s a delicious pumpkin caramel variety.
$3.29
This cute madeleine cookies are soft and cakey with a little bit of crunch around the edges. They’re sweet, spiced, and orange from the pumpkin.
$4.99
These bar cookies are tender, chewy, and delicious. Besides pumpkin and spices, there’s also pecans, white chocolate chips, and a drizzle of icing to gild the lily.
$2.99
TJ’s answer to Cheerios, this seasonally-flavored cereal is made with brown rice, oats, and pumpkin. Both kids and adults love them.
$2.99
Add some pumpkin puree to traditional potato gnocchi and you get these little pasta dumplings. Toss them in a simple brown butter and fresh sage sauce for a fast dinner.
$8.99
Forget a Starbucks run and brew your own PSL at home. This is a medium roast that’s blended with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, and a hint of dried orange peel.
$2.49
Here’s something unusual: pumpkin tortilla chips. Besides corn, they also include pumpkin puree, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
$2.49
These cereal bars are like Nutri-Grain bars. There are always flavors like strawberry and apple available, but fall brings out these cinnamon-spiked pumpkin ones.
$7.99
People love this cheesecake for good reason. It’s rich, creamy, inexpensive, and full of spices and pumpkin flavor. Keep it in your freezer, and defrost when you need it.
$5.49
You might want to have a fork in the car for this little cake because you’ll want to dig right in! It’s got a thick layer of cream cheese frosting on top, of course.
99 cents
There’s nutmeg and cinnamon in this Greek-style pumpkin flavored yogurt. Try it with some maple granola on top!
$3.49
Bring a bag of these tiny sized coated pretzels home, and they’ll be gone in no time. They’ve got a yogurt coating with candied pumpkin-spiced pumpkin seeds all over them for tons of crunch.
$3.79
Fall is the perfect time to have warm, comforting bowls of oatmeal for breakfast. This oatmeal comes in instant packets and includes pecans for crunch.
$2.99
There’s no way Trader Joe’s could notmake its famous Joe-Joe’s cookies in a pumpkin spice version. They’re crunchy, full of spices, and delicious.
$2.99
If you’re the kind of person who needs a pumpkin spice coffee all fall, these single serve cans can fuel you on the way to work. They’re made with milk and sugar for a creamy, sweet drink.
$5.99
Finding decent gluten-free baked goods is a challenge, so these fall pumpkin streusel muffins are a welcome sight. They include pumpkin spice bits and a spiced streusel on top.
$4.49
We can’t leave Rover out of pumpkin spice mania! These dog treats are made with a unique combination of pumpkin, maple, and bacon for an irresistible (to dogs) treat.
$4.99
Rooibos is a caffeine-free herbal tea, and this blend is flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg for that unmistakable fall flavor. There’s 20 teabags in each tin.
$3.99
Are snickerdoodles the perfect cookie for fall? We think so, and apparently TJ’s does as well. Just mix the pouch up with butter, eggs, and milk, roll the dough in the spice mixture, and bake.
$4.99
This cinnamony pumpkin loaf cake has a crunchy and sparkly topping of spiced sugar. It’s great toasted with a smear of almond butter for breakfast.
$8.99
Recharge in the morning with pumpkin spice cold brew. This is a concentrate, so just mix it with water or milk and ice for a coffee that’s faster than a drive-thru.
$4.99 each
There are also pumpkin spice things at TJ’s you can’t eat, including these two body products. The body butter is a thick lotion enriched with pumpkin seed oil, while the scrub is full of exfoliating brown sugar.
$4.49
If you prefer your pumpkin spice alongside your coffee and not in it, these biscotti are for you. They’re filled with pumpkin puree and spices, and are great dunked in coffee or tea.
$3.99
Holiday season is fast approaching (where did the time go?!) and that means charcuterie boards. These crackers have pumpkin and dried cranberries in them for a festive and slightly sweet addition.
$2.69
According to the package, these bagels are made with pumpkin flour and pumpkin pie spice bits for an extra pumpkiny breakfast. Keep them in the fridge or freezer to make them last longer.
$4.99
Trader Joe’s didn’t want those gluten-free peeps to be left out of autumnal bagels. These GF versions are pre-sliced so you don’t have to futz with them before sticking them in the toaster.
$4.49
There’s a double hit of pumpkin spice in these Joe-Joe’s. The cookie itself is the pumpkin spice version, and it’s coated in a pumpkin spice yogurt coating for even more decadence.
$3.99
For a little more demure cookie, these teeny cookies fit the bill. They’re shortbread coated in a pumpkin spice and yogurt coating, and great for kids.
$4.99
Trader Joe’s ice creams are really popular for a reason. This pumpkin version really does taste like pumpkin and not just spice, and it’s velvety smooth and creamy.
$2.99
There’s room for more than just apple butter in your fall pantry; try this pumpkin butter for a change. It’s great on toast, with some TJ’s cheeses, or on apple slices.
$3.49
Like it says on the box, “just add eggs, oil, and water” to this popular baking mix. You’ll end up with moist and tender muffins or loaf cakes.
$4.49
Gluten-free dieters are not left out of the pumpkin muffin mix club! While most gluten-free items are more expensive, this one’s only a dollar more than the wheat counterpart, thankfully.