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Lifestyle

Debate on the superior pumpkin snack: Settled

Lavanya Shyamsundar and Zoharys Jaen • October 27, 2022

Photo by Vivian Nguyen

With the warm and comforting feeling of fall settling in, it’s time to cozy up with some pumpkin spice treats. There are all sorts of pumpkin delights filling store shelves, but deciding which festive and flavorful snack to choose can be tough. Don’t worry — Oxford’s very own Gamut staff ranked all sorts of pumpkin spice desserts to help you decide which ones are worth it!

Pumpkin Spice Oreo ★☆☆☆☆
At number five, the pumpkin spice oreo certainly wasn’t a fan favorite. An average oreo, the yellow cookie with orange cream filling proved the coloring was as fall-themed as this snack got. Although Oreo fans may love this, it lacked the winning seasonal flavor for a high ranking on this list.

Pumpkin Spice Latte ★★☆☆☆

The Gamut wasn’t feeling the pumpkin spice in Starbucks’ classic autumn latte. The coffee was strong, but the pumpkin flavoring in the drink was…controversial. Some found that the pumpkin left a nutty aftertaste, complementing the bitterness, while others firmly believe the caffeine was all the drink had to offer. Try the iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte, and decide for yourself if it’s a fall favorite or a fall fail.

Pumpkin Bite ★★★☆☆

Similar to a mini cupcake, Target’s Pumpkin Bites are soft, chewy pastries topped with a dollop of vanilla cream. Overall, Gamut staff gave it a whopping rating of “meh.” The snack did have a delectable balance between sweetness and aromatic pumpkin spice, but many staffers agreed that the mini pastry should stay mini: it was too sweet.

Pumpkin Spice Pretzel ★★★★☆

Second best, Costco’s Pumpkin Spice Pretzels puts a spin on this traditional snack. Some staffers found the frosting overwhelming, but the majority voted that the unique combination of flavors took these pretzels to the next level. Though the mix may leave an unusual first impression, the salty-sweet combo is addicting. Be sure to buy a bag for yourself!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream ★★★★★

Bruster’s Pumpkin Cheesecake ice cream steals first place on the list. A few thought the treat was a typical vanilla ice cream, but many agreed the pleasant touch of pumpkin spice and cheesecake satisfied their sweet tooth. Head over to Brusters to try our first-place dessert!

Complementing the chilly autumn air, the warmth and homeliness of pumpkin spice make for a traditional fall staple. Use this ranking to indulge in classic and contemporary spins on pumpkin delights. Decide for yourself which of these sugary snacks is deserving of a spot on your shelves at home.

About the Contributors

Lavanya Shyamsundar, Managing Editor

Lavanya Shyamsundar will be serving the Gamut this year as Managing Editor. As a senior, she’s looking forward to completing college applications and most importantly enjoying her last year in high school. Lavanya first joined the Gamut out of her own interest for journalism and love for the newspaper, wanting to find a place where she could write. And in her fourth and final year in the Gamut, she’s excited about all of the new content that the Gamut will produce this year, as well as supporting and improving the Gamut community as a role model. Outside of senior expectations and Gamut responsibilities, Lavanya is a pasta-loving, Indian classical-music-enjoying singer who enjoys thought-provoking topics that make you think about life. She loves food (as long as it’s vegetarian), and loves the colors purple and pink, self-titling herself as “the embodiment of pink.” She enjoys listening to bands like Lamp, Radiohead, and Cocteau Twins. And if you’re ever talking to her, she might hit you with one of her very specific would-you-rather questions to spice up the conversation. As she takes the next step in life, her one piece of advice to underclassmen as a senior is to push yourself to try new things, even if it’s hard.

Zoharys Jaen, Lifestyle Editor

Dedicated, hardworking, aggressively extroverted, and perhaps optimistic to a detriment, Zoharys Jaen is in her Senior year at Oxford and has been a member of Gamut staff since the 9th grade. First joining due to encouragement from her English teacher Ms. Galvan, along with being interested in a chance for her work to be published and printed, she now serves as Gamuts Lifestyle editor. Though looking to constantly keep herself busy, she still finds free time to indulge in reading and watching romantic comedies which include the number 10 in their title, such as “10 Things I Hate About You” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” Zoharys both plays and listens to music, her mastered instruments including both the piano to ukulele, and music taste ranging from Classical to K-pop. Her other assorted hobbies and interests include but are not limited to knitting, baking and reading poetry.

Vivian Nguyen, Senior Staff Artist

Entering her senior year at Oxford Academy, Vivian Nguyen is currently in her third year of illustrating for the Gamut. Her love for the comics and illustrations in the newspaper prior to her time on staff convinced her to become a contributor for the paper. Aside from drawing, Vivian enjoys creating HTML websites in various themes, as well as playing minesweeper and solitaire. Despite being a fan of a wide variety of items, ranging from 90s-esque things, Dr. Pepper Zero, raw salmon, and alkaline soap, Vivian also holds grudges against bitter melons and Myers-Briggs personality indicators. Vivian looks forward to spending her last year illustrating for new Gamut issues and helping with Gamut events — but most importantly, graduating.