Foods to indulge in this fall that AREN'T pumpkin spice flavoured

With the first day of fall just around the corner, it’s time to start prepping some new seasonal meal ideas.

And while pumpkin spice lattes and muffins and cookies and pies are all the rage, we’re here to remind you of the varied flavours that autumn has to offer.

Read on for the foods you’ve got to indulge in as the weather cools down… that aren’t pumpkin spice infused.

Chili

Hot in temperature and flavour profile, this comforting dish can be made with or without meat, and is sure to help you warm up after a chilly walk home from work.

Apple cider

Like a more intensely flavoured take on tea, apple cider offers sweet, spicy, and comforting notes that are perfectly balanced with a little bit of tartness. If you’re not keen on a frothy PSL, this is an excellent alternative.

Butternut squash soup

It’s soup season! And of the soups, butternut squash may just rule them all. Creamy, sweet, and perfectly paired with a dollop of yogurt and a crispy bread for dipping, you can whip this dinner up quick and enjoy it by the fire.

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Pear pie

Move over, pumpkin. Apple, sit down. This is pear’s moment to shine. Pear pie offers softer flavours than a classic fall-time apple pie, while still serving up that fruit-filled texture that pumpkin just can’t match. If you’ve never tried it, the time is now.

Freshly baked bread

A quintessential comfort food, any and all freshly baked breads reach their hypothetical peak season in the fall. Whether you’re tucking into whole wheat, rye, sourdough, or white, pick up a loaf and prepare to dip it into everything.

Mulled wine

It’s wine, but better. Rich, slightly-sweet wine warmed with citrus fruits doubles as both a comforting drink and a natural way to make your kitchen smell delicious. Add a few sticks of cinnamon and let it simmer for hours while you cozy up with a good book, filling up your cup every chance you get.

Pecan butter tarts

This classic Canadian treat gets a fall-inspired upgrade when pecans are added into the mix. Take a hint from this Ottawa-dweller and make yours in the smoker instead of the oven… which completely ups the ante.

Tomato soup and grilled cheese

In what is perhaps one of life’s simplest pleasures, crispy toast and melty cheese pair perfectly with a creamy tomato soup. An ultra-quick meal to whip up after dinner, snuggle under the blankets and enjoy this comforting treat while watching a movie.

Brussel sprouts

If you think Brussel sprouts aren’t delicious, you just haven’t had them prepared properly. Roasted, with a little salt and olive oil, is all you really need for perfection. But if you want to take it up a notch, add them (roasted) into a mixture with some cranberry, goat cheese, and balsamic glaze. You’re welcome.

Cranberry sauce

Speaking of cranberries, this is the sauce you’ve got to have brewing atop the stove this season. Bubble the berries with sugar, water, and, if you really want to get wild, apple… and get ready to spoon this stuff onto everything.

Hot chocolate

It’s a drink! It’s a dessert! It’s everything you could ever ask for! Creamy, comforting, and perfectly sweet, this stuff is ideal for morning, night, chillin’ at home or enjoying a chilly nature walk.

Stuffing

While certainly not the prettiest dish, stuffing is one of the most flavourful fall foods out there. And that’s because there is so. Much. Happening in it! Breads, vegetables, broth, and spices come together to make something that shouldn’t be delicious, but really and truly is.

Turkey sandwiches

Leftover Thanksgiving dinner? Load those carbs onto more carbs, baby! Add the cranberry sauce and stuffing mentioned above, and the potatoes mentioned below, plus maybe one leaf of spinach, and you’ve got a breakfast, lunch, or dinner of champions.

Potatoes… in every shape and form

Potatoes serve as the perfect, comforting side to pretty much any meal. Mashed, smashed, or roasted, they pair with a sandwich, a salad or anything in between. Take ’em up a notch with spices or let them stand on their own, taters truly are a powerful food.

Chicken pot pie

Flaky pastry hugging a combination of chicken, vegetables, gravy, and pure goodness, chicken pot pie is perfection. Pair it with a soup, some broccoli with cheese sauce, or just enjoy one solo… you really can’t go wrong.

Ramen

There may not be a comfort food that’s more comforting than ramen. Meaty, veggie-filled, or totally vegan, this dish is always delicious, filling and reminiscent of cold nights. While it may be sad to say goodbye to summer, at least with this meal on the roster, you get to slurp your sorrows away.