One of the most important parts of the fall season isn’t the changing of the leaves or the chilly temperature- it’s the renewal of the American obsession with everything pumpkin flavored. With so many choices this season I’ve decided to try them for you. Here, I rank the best pumpkin foods that you’ll find sold in stores this autumn. 

1. Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Swirl Bread

This bread had a vague pumpkin flavor to it and a bit of a dry texture. Most importantly, this bread did not embody the warmness of the fall season that characterizes most pumpkin products. What I think was truly missing were the pumpkin spices that pair with the pumpkin flavor itself. All in all, I was disappointed by this bread and its lack of homemade taste. I rate this bread a dismal 2.5/10.

2. Cheerios Pumpkin Cheerios

While these are very festive and perfect for anyone who wants to add some fall spice to their morning, they’re just a little too bland to really be considered a quality pumpkin food. In addition, their texture causes them to become extremely soggy very soon after adding them to milk. However, I do recommend these if you’re the type of person to eat Cheerios dry. I rate these a mediocre 4/10

3. Pumpkin Ice Cream

Pumpkin ice cream usually has a pretty strong flavor and a good use of spices, but because pumpkin is generally a warmly leaning food, the cold of the ice cream and the cozy pumpkin spice does not mix well. It sort of reminds one of a frozen pumpkin pie. However, because of its overall incongruity I give it a 6/10

4. Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte (Bottled)

One of my favorite parts of fall are the reentrance of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte in my local Publix. This easily accessible, relatively cheap bottle of premade latte makes for a perfect at home option for any pumpkin spice latte enthusiasts. While it’s not exactly the same as the in-store edition, it still holds a sweet pumpkin flavor with a bitter coffee complement. I give these a quality 8/10.

5. Panera Pumpkin Muffin

These are a year round Panera staple, but I have decided to include them because they are one of my fall favorites. The crunchy muffin top crust combined with the soft center and the amazing flavor of these put them at #2 on the list. These muffins receive an exceptional 9.5/10

6. Thomas Pumpkin English Muffin

While this may not have been exactly what you expected, I promise it is the best item on this list. This English muffin has a perfect texture, especially when lightly toasted, and it pairs perfectly with any jam or butter you can think of. The soft, almost doughy texture has a delicate pumpkin flavor with an immaculate blend of spices. This is a perfect 10/10.

I hope you’ll try some of these fall flavored foods this season, and don’t be afraid to try something new this year!