There’s no getting around it: summer is over, and fall is officially here. If the candy releases don’t make it clear enough, the new comfort foods lined up at America’s grocery stores, chain restaurants, and fast food joints ought to. Hot, melty cheese will keep you warm as the fall breeze kicks in.
Throw on your flannels and get cozy. Here are some scary good foods coming your way in the month of October.
If summer is a seltzer party, then autumn is a cider celebration. For a limited time beginning October 2, Angry Orchard is releasing a king-sized version of its Crisp Apple Hard Cider. This king-sized bottle is more than 16 times the size of its regular counterpart and is available to ship directly to your door. To get (both) your hands on this massive cider, you’ll have to go to the Angry Orchard website and pay $200 per bottle, but with free nationwide shipping.
For the third time, Culver’s is bringing back the burger that started off as an April Fool’s joke and became a legend. The CurderBurger is returning to Culver’s menu beginning October 2 and will be available all month long while supplies last. For the uninitiated, the CurderBurger is essentially Culver’s Deluxe ButterBurger topped with a giant puck of fried cheese, or rather, a massive cheese curd. Just another reason Culver’s is the best.
The cartoon-watching, mac-and-cheese-devouring child in all of us can rejoice at this nostalgic comeback. After a Change.org petition and emails to the brand’s CEO gave a hint to the demand for the childhood classic, Kraft is bringing back the SpongeBob SquarePants shapes to grocery shelves nationwide beginning in October. The cartoon-themed pasta will be available in both the brand’s classic blue box and in its Easy Mac cups (sold in packs of four). Try it with yogurt.
This time of year is American candymakers’ Super Bowl. Hershey is heading into spooky season with a couple of new treats, but the spookiest has to be the new Reese’s Skeletons. These molded, seasonally wrapped shapes are available in a 9.10-oz. bag for a limited time nationwide. The Reese’s chocolate and peanut butter within is the same, but the adorable skeleton shape will please any trick-or-treater on the block.
This brand-new gummy candy not only brings the creepy-crawly vibes needed for Halloween, but is also likely to be the most eco-friendly product in your pumpkin pail this year. Rotten, “the snack company on a mission to make better products for the worms and for the world,” has just released gummy worms in both original and sour varieties, with packaging made entirely from compostable materials. Flavors include Mischievous Mango, Barfin’ Blue Raspberry, Slobberin’ Strawberry, and Weirdo Watermelon. The gummies cost $30 for an 8-pack of 1.8-oz. bags and can be purchased on the Rotten website.
Although jumping ahead a few holidays, Stouffer’s is ready to provide comfort food with a cheery holiday spirit. The frozen meal brand is dropping its first-ever advent calendar that includes seven dinner items. The gingerbread-house-shaped Comfort Calendar will only be available during monthly drops throughout the rest of the year while supplies last. The first such drop will be October 2, when you can buy the calendar on Stouffer’s website for $39.99 (shipping included).
Although October is a big candy month, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t appreciate the little things as well. Skittles has just launched Skittles Littles, a tiny version of its classic fruity rainbow candies. These itty-bitty rainbow treats have already started to hit shelves at retailers nationwide. The Littles are available online and in stores in two sizes, including an on-the-go resealable tube and a Grab N Go pouch.
Not only is Taco Bell bringing back its beloved Nacho Fries, but it’s also pairing them with a new Vegan Nacho Sauce that will be available nationwide for the first time. Previously, only customers in a select few markets had been able to taste this vegan-certified menu item when Taco Bell ran a limited test of its Vegan Crunchwrap. Starting October 12, Nacho Fries with Vegan Nacho Sauce will be available while supplies last, in two sizes: regular for $2.19 and a new larger order for $2.99.
Chex Mix already offers a variety of snack mixes we enjoy, from the Classic to the Cheddar to the sweet Muddy Buddies dessert pack. Now, the brand has launched new Chex Mix Remix, in both Cheesy Pizza and Zesty Taco flavors. Cheesy Pizza includes Garlic & Herbs Chex, Pizza Crust Bagel Chips, Cheese Puffs, and Pizza Sauce Chex. The Zesty Taco bag has Taco Seasoning Chex, Corn Shell Chips, Cheese Puffs, and Salsa Chex pieces. Available nationwide, these mixes come in a 7-oz. bag for $4.29 and an 11-oz. bag for $5.49.
For those unfamiliar with the Sonic Drive-In menu, a Sonic Blast is a lot like a DQ Blizzard or McDonald’s McFlurry, composed of soft serve and various mix-ins. The new Trick or Treat Blast features Heath Bars, Mini M&M’s, and Oreo cookie crumbles in your choice of chocolate or vanilla soft serve, with more of each candy crumbled on top. Though the name is Halloween-specific, this frozen treat will be available at all Sonic locations from now until December 31 (or while supplies last).
By the time Halloween rolls around, Christmas is not far behind, and Pillsbury wants you to be ready. That’s why the brand is bringing Funfetti Elf on the Shelf Cookie Mixes to stores nationwide starting in October. The three flavors include Sugar Cookie Mix with Candy Bits, Hot Cocoa Cookie Mix, and Sugar Cookie Mix with Peppermint Candy Cane Sprinkles. Available until December, these mixes will come in a 15-oz. box, which makes 30-34 cookies, and it will cost somewhere between $2.50 and $5.00.