With the leaves changing color and the weather cooling down, fall is beginning to seep in. As such, brands are keeping up with the seasonal changes through their pumpkin spice beverages and apple-scented candles, and Trader Joe’s is no different. For the first issue of The Joe Show, we tried some fall picks.

Fall Harvest Salsa 

We tried the Fall Harvest Salsa with the Corn Dippers as an appetizer. The salsa features butternut squash, apples, and carrots, along with the usual tomatoes. The consistency has a few chunks speckled throughout the relatively runny salsa. 

SA: It’s not a bad salsa, but it’s a stretch to include this in the fall foods sections. I couldn’t taste the medley of vegetables noted in the description, and it tasted pretty sweet to me. It was just okay, but I wasn’t reaching for more. For its lack of originality and not living up to my expectations, I give Fall Harvest Salsa a 5/10. 

SV: Going into this taste test, I was skeptical about the apples in this salsa. I’m not a big fan of sweet dips, but surprisingly, the Fall Harvest Salsa didn’t taste distinctly of any of its core ingredients: apples, pumpkins, or butternut squash. Instead, it tasted quite similar to Trader Joe’s classic Salsa Autentica, save for a slight sweetness. While it wasn’t horrible, I definitely would not grab it again because it didn’t provide anything unique to the table. Even though it is clearly fall-inspired, the Fall Harvest Salsa unfortunately did not reflect fall flavors. 4/10

Sweet Cinnamon Filled Korean Pancakes 

These pancakes are inspired by Korean street food and vary from savory to sweet fillings. The most popular style is the flaky and soft pancake filled with a warm cinnamon paste. The box recommends enjoying the dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, so we paired it with Trader Joe’s French Vanilla ice cream. 

SA: Cinnamon instantly reminds me of fall, and this was hands down the most delicious, cozy dessert I’ve had in a while. It’s like a cinnamon bun yet flattened down and flaky, without the extra greasiness a cinnamon bun may have. The crispy texture and warmth of the cinnamon filling, paired with the refreshing vanilla ice cream, made a perfect dessert combination that wasn’t too sweet. I enjoyed trying something from a new place and will definitely be purchasing it again: 10/10. 

SV: I’ve never tried Korean pancakes before, but these sweet cinnamon ones convinced me that I needed to try other flavors. The cinnamon filling reminded me of a cinnamon bun, and these pancakes are the perfect warm sweet treat to have on a chilly afternoon. It’s even possible to make the pancakes two different ways depending on how you want your pancake—soft or crispy. Personally, I loved having it crispy because it paired so well with the soft vanilla ice cream. I highly recommend these Korean pancakes for anyone who is looking to try a wider variety of desserts! 10/10

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese 

Trader Joe’s has a fall-inspired alternative to its regular boxed mac and cheese in the form of Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese. Boasting rigatoni pasta instead of the classic elbow macaroni, this boxed pasta is made with butternut squash purée as well as gouda, cheddar, and parmesan cheese.

SA: I personally didn’t love this meal. I thought the rigatoni was really chewy, and the butternut squash was a little bitter for me as someone who is obsessed with butternut squash soup. There was a good quantity of pasta, and I could see the vision with the combination of flavor profiles of sharp cheese with a hearty squash. However, I probably would not get this again: 4/10.

SV: While the Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese wasn’t my favorite, I still thought the flavor wasn’t bad and I could see myself eating the whole thing. Personally, I don’t enjoy the sweet taste of butternut squash, so the slightly bitter flavor did not bother me; however, if a butternut squash-lover was to try this pasta, I don’t know if they would be satisfied with the flavor. It had the same cardboard quality as other boxed pastas, but that isn’t a fault of Trader Joe’s. I would recommend heating the pasta for a little more time than the box instructs, because some of the pasta (especially at the edges) were undercooked. 6/10

Pumpkin Spice Mini Sheet Cake 

An autumnal flavor for the popular mini sheet cakes at Trader Joe’s, the Pumpkin Spice Mini Sheet Cake contains a cake made of pumpkin purée and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. The cake is topped with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting and is perfect to share with friends and for cold nights alone.

SA: Well, it wouldn’t be fall without pumpkin spice! I thought this cake was really fluffy, and the cream cheese frosting balanced out the richness of the cake itself. I liked how the cake had a bit of real pumpkin, which added an elevated flavor to the usual nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice combination. I enjoyed the cake! I would definitely purchase it again, but I’m still thinking about the cinnamon Korean pancakes; I give it a 7.5/10.

SV: I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin flavoring (which is ironic for a whole article on fall flavors) but I really enjoyed this sheet cake! Trader Joe’s is pretty famous for its sheet cakes, so I was pleasantly surprised when this dessert lived up to my expectations. The cake was flavorful, fluffy, and melted in my mouth. The cream cheese frosting was a little too thick and strong for my tastes, granted I don’t usually like frosting. I would definitely purchase this cake again, and I’m definitely thinking about trying all the other flavors! 8/10

Overall, while the savory picks we grabbed didn’t quite fulfill our hopes, we are very pleased with the fall dessert lineup at Trader Joe’s. Stay tuned for more exciting food reviews!