Too Much Pumpkin Spice

And here we are, Day 31. After a full month of tasting and reviewing pumpkin spice products, it only seems fitting that I finish this blog with the product that started it all. In my Preamble , I discussed the staggeringly expansive seasonal economy that can trace its origins back to the debut of the Pumpkin Spice Latte 14 years ago. Considering all the different options one has to consume pumpkin spice these days, I find it incredible that the Pumpkin Spice Latte has managed to remain at the top of this orange-tinged mountain for so long. Between Starbucks’ strong marketing and the cult following that this drink has cultivated, it has cemented itself as the center of the pumpkin spice universe. And at this rate, I can’t see that changing anytime soon. Hate it or love it, it seems that the PSL will continue to be the standard-bearer for as long as pumpkin spice is popular. As for me, I'm not sure how I feel. In my youth, I was a very enthusiastic PSL supporter. But aft

In the 76 years since first being introduced, Cheerios have captured the hearts, minds, and stomachs of the American public. Nearly 338 million boxes (total of all varieties) are produced/shipped annually, which is astonishing when you compare that to the present population of the United States at roughly 326 million .   With one of every eight boxes of cereal sold in the United States being this iconic breakfast brand, we have to consider what makes them so special. While taste and relative health are obvious reasons, there is one that is often overlooked: nostalgia, the emotion and marketing tool that I’ve already written about at length in this blog. It is incredible to think that the same emotion can draw us to pumpkin spice, to long for Lisa Frank pencil boxes , and lament the retirement of AOL Instant Messenger (and the away message). But how does that fit here? For generations of Americans, Cheerios were our first solid food. They held the unique distinction of being both a

For today’s review, I am going to be turning over the reigns of TooMuchPumpkinSpice to a special guest contributor, Kate. Kate is a wonderful scientist and friend, and although we disagree on baseball, we share a love of pumpkins. Before getting to the review, I would just like to thank her for her support and encouragement throughout this project, and for taking the time out of her busy life to write a post. Enjoy! DAY 29 : Pumpkin Yog(h)urt Item : Pumpkin Noosa Yoghurt Cost : $2-ish Purchase Location : Target Manufacturer’s Description: “the crisp days of fall call for the smooth taste of noosa, with our own spin on traditional pumpkin pie. This seasonal noosa will carve out a place in your heart with the warm, rich spices in our pumpkin puree.” Like this blog’s intrepid author, I too have been intrigued by the pumpkin spice craze. So much so, that I donned a “Pumpkin Spice Girl” costume (complete with pumpkin pie hat) for Halloween two years ago. Also l