So long, pumpkin spice everything! Your brief reign of terror staining all our foods (and our Internet debates) with your orange autumnal hue is already over. It’s now time for this year’s batch of holiday-themed foods, when your beloved mass-produced foodstuffs dress up in the equivalent of holiday sweaters by adding peppermint, gingerbread or — yes — turkey flavors to their products.
The wacky seasonal trend has become big business lately, thanks to social media reactors who like to mock (or sing the praises of) each new iteration of Oreo and every different color of Pringle. It’s also riding the wave of the cultural impact that pumpkin spice everything has had — so will gingerbread spice be as universally loved/reviled?
It seems like hot cocoa is the big flavor trend this year (and it’s actually being used in decent ways too). Only time will tell — but here’s some of this year’s top holiday food flavors.
Pringles: salted caramel, pigs in blankets, pecan pie, milk chocolate, roast turkey
Pringles is bringing back all kinds of weird sweet flavours for Christmas https://t.co/9PnfqWFDaopic.twitter.com/4hyWSrKmJd
— Metro (@MetroUK) November 4, 2015
Pringles, you crazy for this one. The addictive cylinder-based potato chip company goes off the rails, eschewing simple flavors like peppermint for the complex and textured palate of the holiday treat known as “pigs in blankets.” The only thing that can outclass a tray of pigs in blankets at your holiday party is a tray of potato chips flavored like them.
There's now pigs in blankets & roast turkey #Christmas@Pringles! Which ones will you try? https://t.co/Tl4w7X9oSOpic.twitter.com/TEKuaw31NS
— WhichitApp (@Whichitapp) November 8, 2015
Coffee-mate: eggnog, gingerbread, peppermint mocha, pumpkin spice
Coffee Mate Seasonal Flavors – Introducing The New Gingerbread … – https://t.co/HefY7fzsdc – #tvcommercialspotspic.twitter.com/0SCUINESH0
— TV Commercial Spots (@CommercialSpots) October 19, 2015
Ah, Coffee-mate: the thing you use to make terrible coffee taste even worse. These flavors will surely be a hit among those who like to drink candy in the morning.
Starbucks: holiday spice flat white
Bid the PSL farewell—@Starbucks holiday season lattes are back! https://t.co/ZPjssjZxSwpic.twitter.com/yjN9bBWXWS
— Glamour (@glamourmag) November 2, 2015
The chain that set out to ruin Christmas this year is also destroying America by promoting the Australian-born flat white as its holiday drink. Oh, well, we had a good run.
Peeps: candy cane flavor
https://t.co/76AKG15fFk Candy Cane Flavored Peeps Christmas Candy Pack of 5 #store#shoppic.twitter.com/8eMvsm5VT0
— Five Dollar (@fivedollarmarkt) November 8, 2015
This is one kind of candy (marshmallow) made to taste like another (candy cane) — both of which are things you inevitably regret eating a few bites/licks in.
Thomas’ English Muffins: cranberry flavor
💜Cranberry english muffin and Justin's almond butter before my morning run. #DeliciousFood#energy#runnersworldpic.twitter.com/tGkeNTfRCv
— Ꮶℐℳ ᏦℐℕᎶ ~ 𝒞𝒪𝒮ℳℰ𝒯ℐ𝒞 𝒯𝒜𝒯𝒯𝒪𝒪 𝒜ℛ𝒯ℐ𝒮𝒯 (@Lasting_Image1) December 21, 2014
Props to the sensible folks behind the sensible breakfast option of the English muffin for adding only cranberries to their product this year — pigs-in-blankets-flavored muffins might have been a bit much to handle.
Peppermint Ho Hos
wow @Hostess_Snacks you really missed the chance to call these Peppermint Ho Ho Hos pic.twitter.com/Sy56qxvP7Y
— A Mongo the Magnificent Novel by George C. Chesbro (@shotbykim) November 5, 2015
This is actually the first new Ho Ho flavor since 1967, which makes it quite special — though nobody can figure out why they would not name their holiday product Ho Ho Hos.
. . . And now, the hot chocolate flavors:
Chips Ahoy
Introducing Hot Cocoa Chips Ahoy! Limited Edition cookies. Snuggle up with the flavor of hot cocoa, no mug required! pic.twitter.com/91oPz0hoR3
— Chip (@ChipsAhoy) November 2, 2015
Hot chocolate might actually make sense for a product that already has chocolate and that you eat by dipping into milk.
Clif Bar
Hot chocolate might be a bit much for Clif’s target active, rock-climbing consumer base — but it might also taste really good after a long, cold hike.
M&M’s
Mars launches three new M&Ms flavors based on holiday beverages https://t.co/AWKh6i2lyapic.twitter.com/e0CSGcfZD8
— SS Food News (@gourmet) October 31, 2015
Some of us have been making hot chocolate M&M’s for years — by putting them in the microwave — but this officially sanctioned version might be decent too.


