LOS ALAMITOS, CA — From the changing leaves to pumpkin spice mania to anaconda-sized scarves creeping into daily dress, fall brings crazy fashion trends, deformed pumpkins, delicious (and not-so-delicious) treats, and the odd but seemingly comforting smell of leaves and rotting trees filling the air. 

The fall season is a time of change and harvest —the air gets colder, the days get shorter, and farmers gather the fruits and vegetables they have grown over the summer. Fall is also a popular time for activities — both indoor and outdoor — such as reading, watching movies, baking, apple picking, camping, and more.

Oct. 31 is the most anticipated date during the fall season because of Halloween; the spooky holiday where deranged old men can freely put on masks and terrorize citizens of small towns. *Cough, cough* Michael Myers earns five stars in this category.

Pumpkin Spice

“I love pumpkin in everything fall-related,” said Elise Briseño-Tapia, a senior at Los Al.

Pumpkin spice is typically made with a delicious blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and sometimes allspice. It actually does not consist of any pumpkin; however, it is used to flavor pumpkin pie, a fall favorite. As seen in the last decade, pumpkin spice has become a national favorite and gained many devoted fans.

There’s only one question that can be asked about the pumpkin spice mania: How did pumpkin spice become so popular? It all started in 2003, when the first pumpkin spice latte was created in the “Liquid Lab” at Starbucks’ Seattle headquarters. The drink was so successful that other coffee chains such as Dunkin’ and even McDonald’s mimicked the delicious seasonal latte. Since then, pumpkin spice has evolved into the unofficial, official flavor of fall.

Even before fall officially started, pumpkin spice-flavored treats began appearing on every shelf in grocery stores, becoming a jump scare of fall flavor. Starbucks even released its fall menu on Aug. 24 this year, a month before the official start of the season.

This is awesome for individuals who love pumpkin spice, but sometimes it can be too much. Strange concoctions created with processed, synthetic ingredients to produce a “pumpkin spice” flavor that is infused in EVERYTHING. Don’t get me wrong – I love a good pumpkin spice latte or pumpkin pie, but… pumpkin spice Oreos?

Gallery • 10 Photos

Olivia Cooks

Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice flavored Oreos widely available in grocery stores.

At least $500 million is spent on pumpkin-spiced flavored items in the United States each year, and it seems that many businesses have exploited the national pumpkin spice addiction and created some not-so-tasty products as a result (such as pumpkin spice spam… yuck!).

I had the pleasure of sampling the pumpkin spice Frosted Flakes, and honestly, they’re not very pleasant. As I was indulging in the overpowering flavor, I overheard numerous customers pass by the sampling stand and degrade the product. I was surprised at first by the comments, but then realized that some of the newer artificial food items branded with “pumpkin spice” are not enjoyable. Too much pumpkin spice can be overbearing and should be limited to cakes, coffee, and pie.

There’s a lot of mixed feelings about pumpkin spice, but overall, it’s a national favorite. Personally, I love pumpkin spice… but not on everything. The idea of pumpkin spice-flavored food items is strange at first, but there are many delicious foods that are created as a result.