What do you think of when you hear the word fall? If you thought of pumpkins, apples, and Halloween decoration, you aren’t the only one.

With a new season comes new foods and drinks. From hot cocoa, to apple cider, pumpkin smoothies and the ever-so-controversial pumpkin spice latte, people in our community and around the world have different tastes and opinions about which fall drinks are the best.

Starting off with the pumpkin spice latte, a popular Starbucks drink with pumpkin, espresso, and whipped cream: You either love it; or you hate it. Freshman Alexa Ntchobo is someone who loves it and thinks it does not get the credit it deserves. “My favorite fall drink would be an iced pumpkin spice latte. It is seasonal so it is something to look forward to. Along with it tasting really good,” Ntchobo said.

What’s a classic fall drink made from one ingredient that you can find at almost any orchard? You guessed it: apple cider. Apple cider is the perfect drink for anybody who has a sweet tooth but wants to stay on a diet. Even better, carbonated apple cider can satisfy a soda craving without all of the sugar and caffeine that comes along with it.

Berries and Bowls, a local superfood cafe in the Kentlands, recently added to their menu fall-themed items, one of which is a pumpkin smoothie. With pumpkin, banana, vanilla protein powder, and a secret ingredient, this smoothie is packed with health benefits. “It’s been very popular with customers. People love pumpkin, and you can see all of the big chains, the Dunkins, the Starbucks, they’re all doing pumpkin-something and people love pumpkin so it’s been very popular,” Brian Levine, owner of Berries and Bowls, said.

As fall and winter favorites of people around the world, hot chocolate rarely disappoints. With a creamy chocolatey flavor and warmth of the drink, it’s perfect for a cozy fall day. Senior Aryan Munot finds that Nestle Nesquik and Starbucks are the best go-to brands for hot chocolate, as they are tasty and energizing. “Personally, I hate coffee and people find that amusing. I have the same effects from cocoa that others have from coffee,” Munot said.

While time-consuming, apple cider making could be the perfect fall activity for families who want to participate in fall-themed activities without the risk of contracting COVID-19. This recipe on Tasty is delicious and the 100-plus reviews agree. This recipe requires Red Delicious apples, Granny Smith apples, oranges, allspice, cloves, cinnamon and water. It takes roughly six hours to make. For the full recipe, go to https://tasty.co/recipe/homemade-apple-cider.