alwaysamandafrancesTrader Joes is one of my favorite places to go to for fall foods because they bring out so many seasonal items that are SO SO good. I love to prepare the food from Trader Joes according to the packaging and then add my twist to it. This year, I tried some new items that I hadn’t seen before and I’m excited to share my opinions on them and how I prepared them.
1. Harvest Spaghetti Squash Spirals
When I first bought the Harvest Spaghetti Squash Spirals I was so excited to try it. I added chicken sausage (also from Trader Joes), onions, and spinach. I made this for dinner for me and two other people and knew I was going to add more to it but was very surprised by how little it came with. The packaging said there were three servings so we thought it would be enough. In the end, it was enough but only because we added more to it. Overall, this meal was really really good but would keep in mind that just the Harvest Spaghetti Squash Spirals on its own is not very filling.
2. Riced Cauliflower and Butternut Squash Risotto
When I saw how easy this risotto was to make, I knew I had to get it. It only took about 10 minutes to cook and can be made with a variety of proteins including steak, salmon, or tofu. I made it with steak and sautéed green vegetables and all of the flavors came together nicely. I would definitely make it again!
3. Autumnal Harvest Soup
This soup has a tomato base with pumpkin and butternut squash and to be honest I was so surprised by how much I loved it. I am not normally a tomato soup kind of person but this one was not too heavy and very warming. The flavor reminded me of the sauce that came with the Harvest Spaghetti Squash Spirals. I ate it for lunch and it was very filling.
4. Butternut Squash Ravioli
I decided to make this ravioli for dinner but wanted to make it more substantial so I made my own pasta sauce to go with it. The sauce was ground chicken, onions, sliced tomatoes, spinach, and chicken stock. I also added some seasoning including salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. This meal was INSANELY good. I was so impressed with how it turned out and I would make it again in a heartbeat. The sauce wasn’t too heavy and overall the meal was filling. I loved the butternut squash with the sauce as well. It truly was 10/10.
5. Fall Harvest Salsa
I wanted to try this because I thought it would have more of a fruity and sweet taste. I didn’t have much in my apartment to eat with the salsa so I decided to dip Cape Cod chips. It seemed like a weird combo at first but it was actually really good. The saltiness in the chip brought out the flavor of the salsa. At the same time, the salsa was supposed to have pumpkin and butternut squash in it yet it pretty much tasted like normal tomato salsa. Overall, it was good but wouldn’t buy it again if I wanted an autumn salsa.
6. Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
To be fair, I didn’t know what to expect from the Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese. I made it for lunch and ate it by itself. Honestly, I liked it, but I don’t think I would buy it again. It was good but not great. Felt very heavy for a lunch and you don’t get much of the butternut squash flavor. At the same time, it is good if you want to eat a fancier mac and cheese.
7. Autumnal Harvest Pasta Sauce
I made a pasta dish using this pasta sauce and it was delicious. I made orecchiette pasta with Autumnal Harvest Pasta Sauce, Italian sausage, onion, chicken stock, spinach, salt, pepper, and garlic powder (can you tell that all of my meals are different variations of the same thing yet?). Normally I find pasta sauces to be too heavy so I added chicken stock to lighten it and it made all the difference. This sauce was SO good! Tasted a little similar to a vodka sauce but has the autumnal flavors. Definitely a must-try!
Overall, I liked the fall foods I found at Trader Joes. I think my favorites are the Harvest Spaghetti Squash Spirals and the Butternut Squash Ravioli. I am almost positive Trader Joes will bring out some more seasonal foods closer to Thanksgiving so I’m going to keep a lookout and if I see anything new I will make sure to try it and give my review!
Trader Joes always does a great job of bringing out new seasonal foods in the fall so you need to make sure you check it out before the season ends. If you try any of these items, send me your thoughts. I’d love to hear how you added your spin to it!
