This New Trader Joe’s Cereal Makes My Breakfast a Celebration of Fall

When it comes to fall, pumpkin spice always seems to get the prime billing, but, honestly, I’m way more partial to pure ginger. The spicy, fragrant scent evokes fall for me in a way that pumpkin spice never could. While I’m skeptical of pumpkin spice, I’m very in favor of bringing those fall vibes into everything I eat, which is why I was delighted by Trader Joe’s new Ginger Turmeric Granola.

I was initially very skeptical of this item—I’m not big on turmeric in applications that read to me as health food-adjacent, so the inclusion of it in this granola almost turned me off. But I love a good hit of spicy ginger, and the idea of it in my morning granola sounded really appealing, so I went for it.

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The smell of ginger definitely hit me the moment I opened the bag. The flavor is slightly more pulled back, balanced by the toasted coconut and only a little bit of turmeric flavor. It’s not aggressively spicy, but it does have a bit of a kick from the candied ginger, which could be off-putting to someone who isn’t a big ginger fan. The texture is also excellent. Some granolas can be overly crunchy, with too dense chunks that make you feel like your jaw is going to lock up. This one was well-balanced, I think because of the brown rice crisps, which are more tender than regular all-oat granola.

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I ate it in my morning yogurt, as planned, but also found myself going back for a handful in the afternoon, and sneaking one more piece after dinner. It presented to me a question that many granolas do: Is this a breakfast food? A healthy snack? Or a treat? The inclusion of candied ginger definitely edges it further into the treat category, but it does pair incredibly well with a vanilla or coconut yogurt. I also wouldn’t be mad at it on the go for a hiking snack or sprinkled on top of ice cream.

The granola is sweetened with both cane sugar and brown rice syrup, so there’s definitely some sugar there. If you’re into a sweet but nutritious breakfast, this is a good option for you. If you’re interested in something to satisfy your afternoon or evening sugar craving, this is probably healthy enough that you can still feel good. So, is this granola a breakfast, snack, or dessert? It’s up to you. Why limit yourself?