I'm stuck in Florida. I'm a native here and there are so many things I love about my home state, but what I don't love is the lack of fall. I'm writing this in mid-September and it was 93 today. The only way I get to celebrate fall is to decorate with pumpkins and fake leaves, and buy as many Pumpkin Spice products that I can find.
Now everyone knows where to get a great Pumpkin Spice Latte, but for me, I'm watching my cholesterol and sodium, so I can't just run out and pick up any Pumpkin Spice goodie. So I set out to find some seasonal treats that I can have and still somewhat stick with my healthy eating plan. Surprisingly, I found quite a few, and I'd love to share them with you. So here goes:
1) Pumpkin Spice Goldfish Crackers
Now these aren't the healthiest of all my treats, but coming in at 140 calories a serving and 1 gram of saturated fat (I care more about that than total fat), these were a pretty good snack.
Tastewise, I give them a "C." The goldfish itself has a really good graham cracker taste, but the Pumpkin Spice flavor seems to be just sprinkled on. It's not a really strong flavor, and since Goldfish are usually make for kids, I think they'd really like them.
They're good right out of the bag, but I also threw some in a container of vanilla yogurt and that was a great treat too. I found the best price on these at Target and was able to do a drive up to get them!
2) Great Value Pumpkin Butter
Wowza, this is one of my faves! Even though the first ingredient is sugar, it's not something that I'm going to binge the whole jar. With consistency like honey mustard (not quite as thick as jam) it's designed to be eaten on a little toast.
It has a strong (but not too strong) taste that's perfect for breakfast. I also think there are a lot of other things you can do with it like dollop it in yogurt or on ice cream (ohh, that would be good with some toasted walnuts on top too!) or maybe make some jam filled cookies.
This one gets an "A" for taste and for giving that "fall feeling" too. It's definitely worth a try. I got mine at Walmart, but you can find other brands of Pumpkin Butter other places too.
3) Pumpkin Spice Trash Bags
Yes, you read that right, Pumpkin Spice Trash Bags are available from Hefty. Since they're totally fat and sodium free, I thought these would be a good autumn treat too.
Now you may be thinking that you could just burn a candle, but that's not always the case. I plan on using mine out in the garage where I'm currently crafting. Now I can have my area smell like Pumpkin Spice anytime I'm stamping or doing laundry!
The only downside is that they only came in packages of 50, and I won't go through them all even before Valentine's Day! I may stash them in a bag and see if they retain their scent for next year.
As for the scent, they're really mild and smell only slightly of fall. I guess you wouldn't want them to be overpowering especially since they'll mostly be used in the kitchen.
I'm not sure if they'll make it as a long term product in Hefty's lineup, but for now they're fun. They also are the really sturdy kind of bag that can take a lot of poking, and they have a nice drawstring. So even if the scent dissipates, I'll still have some nice trash bags on hand.
I found these at Target as well.
These cookies are a go-to for me all year long when I need something fast, filling and non-perishable. They're delicious, filling and hearty, yet not super sweet. The Pumpkin Spice variety, purchased at Sprouts, didn't disappoint. And while 460 calories is a lot, I consider it a meal replacement. This variety has just 3 grams of saturated fat and 130 mg. of sodium, so it's in my healthy eating plan.
I think some of the Lenny & Larry's Cookies can taste a bit artificial, but this Pumpkin Spice didn't. And my year-round favorites are Snickerdoodle & Peanut Butter. I'm dying to try their Lemon Poppyseed Cookie, but haven't seen it in stores yet. I don't dare order a whole box from Amazon for fear of eating way too many of them. Buying them one at a time works well for me!
5) Milkbone Dipped Pumpkin & Spice Dog Bones
Bella loved them! I didn't think they were very strong smelling, and they're dipped in something that looks like white chocolate. I trust Milkbone to make sure all this is good and safe for her to eat, and she's happy!
Happy pet, happy mom!
6) Mush Oats (Pumpkin Pie Flavor)
My rating is a "B." It's good, and I'm grateful for the natural pumpkin puree in it (as opposed to artificial flavor) but it's not my favorite variety. ALL of the others are top notch delicious, so much so that I only buy a couple at a time because I will overeat them!
But yes, I'd buy this again too.
7) Three Wishes Pumpkin Spice Cereal
There are a lot of great Pumpkin Spice cereals on the market, but I'm constantly watching my sodium and it's really amazing how much sodium some cereals have in them. For example, Grape Nuts, which I love, has 280 mg. of sodium in just 1/2 a cup.
When I first discovered Three Wishes Cereal I was so excited. It’s a little expensive for being so lightweight, but all their varieties are hard and crunchy, a must for me in my cereal bowl! I was excited to find this variety at Sprouts.
As for this flavor, I think it's pretty strong. At first, I loved it, but it left a slight aftertaste. I would probably buy it again next year, but I'm content with their everyday varieties even more.
8) Pumpkin Spice Kefir
Okay, this one is definitely for die-hard health food fans. If you're not familiar with it, Kefir is fermented cow's milk that has a great tang to it. It is a bit globby, as it's consistency is that of drinkable yogurt. It's really good. I usually buy the plain variety and have it over cereal, but thought I'd give one a try.
I give it a "B." If you like Kefir, it's good, but not as good as plain Kefir. Either way, it's supposed to be really healthy for you, and I like that!
9) Magnolia Star Pumpkin Spice Extract
Finally! A pumpkin spice flavoring that's all natural and without added sugar.
It's really good! An "A+" on this one! Not only was it good in my coffee (just drop or two will do) but I'm sure it would be a great substitute for vanilla extract this time of year. But one word of caution: my upper lip was a bit swollen after I testing some of these products, and I'm wondering if this extract in my coffee could be the culprit.
Either way, this is a really great extract when used in recipes in place of another extract. I'm already thinking Pumpkin Sugar cookies the next time I need have an occasion to bake.
10) NuttZo Pumpkin Spice Nut & Seed Butter
WINNER OF ALL 14 PRODUCTS TESTED! This is definitely not your kid's peanut butter! I found this funny looking, upside down jar at Sprouts. With a price tag of $12.99 on sale, I thought about skipping my review of this one, but decided to go for it.
Oh my goodness, I'm so glad I did! I love everything about this! First of all, the fact that this jar is upside down makes it so easy to stir the contents. I even shook the jar a little at first and that helped blend the oil too. Once opened, it's easy to stir.
The consistency is that of natural peanut butter, but the taste is so much better. It's a nutty, seedy blend with "tiny crunches" to it. The pumpkin flavor is perfect. And it has fewer calories and less fat and sodium than regular peanut butter.
This one really does make me want to, like the label says, throw on a flannel and jump in the leaves!
As I mentioned before, I really love oat milk in my coffee. And although I usually shy away from ones that have added sugar, this on was a real hit. Funny thing is, it doesn't exactly say what it is on the box. It's a "Barista Blend" which would lead me to think that it's only for coffee, but the serving size says it's 1 cup, and I think you could drink it like an eggnog style drink.
As for the coffee, it's great in it. It steams well and gives the perfect amount of creaminess, Pumpkin Spice and sugar. If you like pumpkin coffee, definitely give this one a try!
12) Sprouts Pumpkin Spice Applesauce
I was on the fence with this one. I'm not a huge
applesauce person, but I don't dislike it either, so I gave it a shot.
It's good! It's applesauce, so it's not great, but it's really good. What wasn't so good about it was the $4.99 price tag. It's a fairly big jar (24 oz.) but that still seemed like a lot.
I think this would do very well served alongside some sliced turkey and stuffing, possibly at Thanksgiving. It's different enough to stand out, yet common enough for everyone to enjoy. Definitely keep this one in mind!
Noosa yogurts are simply the best. They taste more like a dessert than a typical yogurt does. And paired with pumpkin, it's amazing! Walmart sells it for $2.00 a container which is a little more than I like to pay for yogurt, but every once in a while I splurge.
If yogurt's your thing and pumpkin too, don't miss this!
14) Yogi Pumpkin Spice Tea
I came across this at Target and thought it would be good for evenings when I wanted something a little sweet but healthy too. What I love about this is that, despite it's gray box, it is an herbal tea. It's also all natural too.
The taste is great and delivered on what it was-a gentle cup of Pumpkin Spice tea.
15) Alma LusA Pumpkin Spice Liquid Soap
While scrolling around Target, I came across this soap imported from Portugal. What I first loved about it is its label. How cut is that little pumpkin in a wagon?! So in my cart it went.
It's a milk smelling and pleasant pumpkin smell with just a slight tint of color to it. It doesn't seem very artificial and I like that too. And at just $4.49 a bottle, it's a bargain! After all, a good cup of Pumpkin Spice Latte costs more than that!
Conclusion
Well, that's it for this year. It was really fun researching all these products. Some I knew about while others were undiscovered. I'm glad to have had the opportunity to buy all these things to help me get into the fall season. I hope you've found this helpful or at least interesting and that you'll try something new as a result.
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today, and HAPPY FALL!
DISCLAIMER: I wasn't asked, paid or compensated in any way to review these products. I purchased them all with my own money and all reviews are my honest opinion. :)
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