As summer comes to an end, leaves begin to change, and temperatures begin to drop, pumpkin spice products begin to hit store shelves. What better to do in sweater weather than to try some seasonal treats? I have always been a fan of pumpkin, whether it be pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, or anything else you can slap pumpkin on, and the snacks I have tried here are no exception.

Kellogg’s Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts
While not the greatest Pop Tarts I’ve ever had, the pumpkin flavor is strong and the presentation is festive. Whether toasted or untoasted, these Pop Tarts hit the spot with a pie crust-like consistency and surprisingly good filling. The best way to describe these would be that they’re akin to a pumpkin pie in both the flavor and texture departments. Even just looking at it is fun, with its colorful ensemble of autumn inspired sprinkles that truly scream “fall.” I would definitely recommend these Pop Tarts to anyone who likes to start their mornings off with the taste of pumpkin.

Ben & Jerry’s Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream
There aren’t many negative things you could say about a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, which is why my opinion on this is so conflicted. When compared to all other ice cream, this showing by Ben & Jerry’s is OK, but when compared to the high standards I have for Ben & Jerry’s, I expected more. Maybe my expectations were too high, but this just wasn’t as good as I thought it would be. The pumpkin flavor was fine, and it had that lovable texture that you’d expect from a Ben and Jerry’s pint, but overall I’m not quite sure if I’d recommend this over the vast number of top-tier flavors they have.

Philadelphia Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese
While it would be unconventional to eat this cream cheese alone, it either doesn’t add much or detracts from the flavor of whatever it’s applied to. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a cream cheese fanatic, but I don’t agree that pumpkin and cream cheese should be combined, period. If I were blindfolded, I might not have been able to tell that what I was eating was supposed to be cream cheese. Philadelphia shouldn’t be calling it cream cheese, as it’s much closer to a pumpkin spread given how sweet it is. I would not recommend this so-called “cream cheese.” I would only consider recommending it if you were interested in a sweet pumpkin spread, but its unfavorable aftertaste may convince you otherwise.

Hostess Pumpkin Spice Twinkies
These are my favorites of the bunch, hands down. The melt-in-your-mouth spongy goodness of a classic Twinkie is all there, with the added bonus of a pumpkin flavored filling. Not too overwhelming at first bite, the aftertaste is what I love the most about these. Unfortunately, they look exactly like regular old Twinkies from the naked eye, but that is where my complaints end. Hostess knocks it out of the park as usual. I would strongly recommend these to anyone with a sweet tooth and a love for all things cream-filled.