Tribune Tries It: Fall Treats

Oxford, OH–With autumn only weeks away, fall-themed treats have hit the grocery store shelves.  Tribune tried and rated four seasonal goodies:  Kroger caramel apple donuts, Brach’s Autumn Mix, M&M’s Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie, and Pumpkin Spice Cookies with White Chocolate Chips from Tate’s Bake Shop.  

We considered taste, fall aesthetic, and whether or not the treat is worth the prince.  We rated each treat in each category on a scale of 1 to 5 leaves with 5 leaves being the best.

In terms of taste, the Kroger Caramel Apple Donuts won by a landslide with 88.8% of staff members rating them 4 or 5 leaves.  Thomas said they were his favorite because they not only taste the best, but they’re also cheap at $2.99 a box.  The donuts were also rated worth the price with 77.8% of staffers giving the donuts 5/5 leaves for their value.

However, the donuts didn’t come in at number one for their fall aesthetic.   That honor belongs to Brach’s Autumn Mix, a bag full of 11 ounces of candy corn and mellowcreme pumpkins.  While Ian appreciated the pumpkins and Lauren noted the nostalgic taste of the candy corn, Daniel was not a fan and said that the mix “tastes like straight corn syrup.”  Derek said that it “tastes like flavored candle wax.”  Tribune advisor Waxy confessed that she eats a whole bag of candy corn once a year and then feels sick afterward.

If you’re wondering if the pumpkin spice cookies are nice, over half the staff members who tried them gave them 3/5 leaves but at $5.99 a bag, most of us (66.7%) gave them only two leaves for being worth the price.

Interestingly, the fall treat we thought was least worth it was the Pumpkin Pie M&Ms at $4.49 for a 7.44 ounce bag.  

So next time you’re at the Oxford Kroger and in the mood for a sweet fall treat, Tribune recommends you grab the Caramel Apple Donuts.  Not only are there six in a box making each donut less than .50¢ each, but most of us also gave them 4 or 5 leaves for fall aesthetic.