The endless pumpkin parade continues and somehow I just can't resist. I know, I spend waaaayyy too much money on all this orange pumpkin colored food, but what am I gonna do? I am just fascinated with the flavor or at least the attempts to recreate that flavor in trashy food items. This time I'm kicking it off with a pumpkin spice flavored thing again. 

Well, well, well, look who jumped on the pumpkin bandwagon! "Local" chocolate purveyor Ghirardelli threw their product into the bucket of offerings for the holidays. Oddly, I couldn't find this in their local stores, I actually found this in a Target of all places. Here they've gone the pumpkin spice road as opposed to pumpkin pie which means there isn't any actual pumpkin in them but they have added the spices--cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger--to the caramel then enrobed it in milk chocolate. I'm gonna call it an easy way out as those spices actually do compliment both caramel and chocolate well meaning, this won't bad. In fact, as far as pumpkin spiced things go, I think they did a pretty good job incorporating it into the mix. Like ice cream, chocolate really isn't my dessert go to but I did find these pretty tasty. 

Not all was lost with actual pumpkin in a form that is kind of like my dessert of choice. And leave it to my old friends at Entenmann's to bring me some donut holes to tempt me. 

Now this isn't their first foray into pumpkin town as they did the full on the donut version last year (and this). So it isn't that big of a stretch to come back this year with some donut holes as really it is just tiny round versions of the big regular sized donuts, just with a little less of the sugar glaze on them. And just like it says on the box--made with real pumpkin--puree that is, but hey, at least it is in there. Plus, the orange color is a little more natural than with some of the others. Can you taste it? Sort of, but they also have the other spices that go along with it so it is sort of like pumpkin pie in a donut, only sweeter. I like the donut version better but these will do in a pinch. They call them pop'ems which means you eat one and before you know it, you've popped in more than the suggested serving of four, most of the box is gone and you are sugar crashing on the couch. Fun times!

Not all was tooth achingly sweet desserts. I decided to end the pumpkin mania with a something that is healthy. Surprise it's pumpkin pie Greek yogurt! 

Greek yogurt with pumpkin pie flavor, though there was some pumpkin puree listed in the ingredients and they've upped the flavor with some extras like the cinnamon, etc. Though I will say "healthy" is a little bit of misnomer with yogurt sometimes as the sugar and carb content can be particularly high depending on the flavor. This one has like 20grams of carbs, most of that coming from the sugar and milk content. For such a small serving it is a bit high and almost comparable to having four of the donut holes. But with the yogurt you are at least getting some protein and that counts, right? Outside of that, it was all right taste wise, not sure it would be my first yogurt flavor choice, but it was definitely better than Trader Joe's version. Not exactly a recommendation but I'm not sure pumpkin and sour Greek yogurt are comparable flavors from the start. Still, not terrible, though not gonna pick it over some plain yogurt. 

And there you have, the end of pumpkin week and what I could stand of this years crop of pumpkin and pumpkin spice flavored seasonal food offerings. A mixed bag of stuff that I know regardless of how things actually taste, won't stop companies from trying to mash up pumpkin with as many different foods as possible. Keep in mind I've passed on cereals and oatmeal with pumpkin flavor this year, so there is A LOT out there. Who knows, maybe next year someone can do a pumpkin juice thing and then I can do a pumpkin breakfast themed wrap up next year with cereal, oatmeal, waffles, toast and juice. I wonder if I can scramble a little bit in an egg? Or wait, how about pumpkin spiced bacon! Sorry, I know, that's a pumpkin too far, even for me.