I ate Trader Joe's fall meals to see which are worth buying before the season ends and which you can skip

Paige BennettSep 10, 2024, 22:29 IST

I tried all of the Trader Joe's seasonal fall meal options I could find, from soups to pasta.Paige Bennett

I tried all the Trader Joe's fall meal items I could find, from sauces and soups to frozen meals.
The butternut-squash mac and cheese and honey-roasted pumpkin ravioli were amazing.

I'm a big fan of trying seasonal items from Trader Joe's, especially the ones for fall.

With dozens of pumpkiny, butternut squash-flavored, and cinnamon-spiced foods to choose from, it can be hard to pick what's worth spending my grocery budget on.

So, I tried all of the Trader Joe's fall foods I could find that feel appropriate for lunches and dinners to see which are worth buying again. Here's how they stacked up.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published on September 28, 2023. Although many seasonal fall foods return, item availability is subject to change.

I buy Trader Joe's butternut-squash mac and cheese every year.

Find the butternut-squash mac and cheese in one of the freezer aisles.Paige Bennett

The pasta was just as good as I remembered.

Trader Joe's mac and cheese can be prepared in the oven or microwave.Paige Bennett

The mushroom-and-black-truffle flatbread stood out to me.

The truffle flatbread looked great on the box.Paige Bennett

I had high hopes, but this flatbread let me down.

The truffle flatbread wasn't bad, but it I wouldn't buy it again.Paige Bennett

I snagged the last butternut-squash Italian lasagna at the store, which was a promising sign.

I found Trader Joe's butternut-squash Italian lasagna in the freezer aisle.Paige Bennett

This was a good lasagna and it made enough for leftovers.

Trader Joe's butternut-squash lasagna had plenty of flavor.Paige Bennett

Trader Joe's mini spicy pumpkin samosas were another exciting find from the freezer section.

The spicy pumpkin samosas seemed easy to prepare.Paige Bennett

I loved the spicy, savory flavors and flaky exterior of the samosas.

Trader Joe's mini samosas are a new fall staple for me.Paige Bennett

I wasn't sure how I felt about trying Toscano cheese dusted with cinnamon.

Cinnamon and cheese sounded like a weird combination on its own.Paige Bennett

The hint of spicy cinnamon worked well with the tangy cheese and it made for a killer grilled cheese.

Grilled cheese is an excellent fall food, especially with a fun cheese.Paige Bennett

I was excited to find a veggie-packed risotto in the fall lineup.

Riced-cauliflower and butternut-squash risotto is vegetarian-friendly.Paige Bennett

This risotto was one of my least favorite fall foods at Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's has better meals available than the cauliflower-rice risotto.Paige Bennett

Trader Joe's Autumnal Harvest soup seemed like a quick meal option.

Autumnal Harvest soup can be heated up in a microwave.Paige Bennett

The soup had way too many tomato and onion chunks for me.

Trader Joe's Autumnal Harvest soup wasn't for me.Paige Bennett

I liked that the pumpkin and butternut-squash bisque seemed fresh.

I'd consider using the bisque as a pasta sauce in the future.Paige Bennett

This will be a staple of mine for soup season, especially with a cinnamon Toscano grilled cheese.

The bisque was creamy and tasty.Paige Bennett

Trader Joe's honey-roasted pumpkin ravioli is one of my favorites to buy every year.

I feel like Trader Joe's always has a seasonal ravioli in stock.Paige Bennett

The ravioli will remain a regular fall purchase for me.

Unfortunately, one of the ravioli wasn't sealed well and busted open while cooking.Paige Bennett

The chain's Autumnal Harvest creamy pasta sauce had an interesting blend of tomato and squash.

I've seen this autumnal sauce in stores before, but I've never picked it up.Paige Bennett

I was surprised by the flavor of this sauce, which brought me a hint of nostalgia.

The sauce coated my pasta quite well.Paige Bennett

I couldn't wait to whip up Trader Joe's pumpkin gnocchi.

Gnocchi usually pairs well with browned butter or pesto.Paige Bennett

The gnocchi was pillowy, and I think it would pair with so many different ingredients.

The gnocchi turned out really well and came together quickly.Paige Bennett

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