The 14 Best New Groceries to Hit Supermarket Shelves This September

Buckle up, pumpkin spice-lovers — it’s the most exciting time of the year to be shopping for groceries! According to this recent study from Instacart, Americans are a bunch of eager beavers for the seasonal flavor, and have been excitedly anticipating its arrival since the height of summer. 

“This year, Instacart searches for ‘pumpkin spice’ surged earlier than ever before — starting in late July — which means many people already have fall on their mind and are looking forward to seasonal flavors,” says Laurentia Romaniuk, the grocery giant’s trends expert. Searches will likely escalate in early October before giving way to winter and the joy of peppermint (which I personally prefer). 

But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves! I’m here to report on more than the “gourd” news: I’ve got intel on all of the best new groceries decorating your store shelves this September. I tried as many new groceries as I could get my hands on, and these were the stand-outs.

A twist on the “spice” formula, this warmer, maple-tinged flavor channels a blend of two rich fall favorites. It’s available in three forms: ready-to-drink Super Coffee (the one that caught my eye), K-cup-ready Super Pods, and now a plant-based Super Creamer. These blends are naturally sweetened with zero-calorie monkfruit, 10 filling grams of protein from milk protein isolate, MCT oil for focus, and antioxidants.

Buy: Maple Pumpkin, $33.99 for 12 (12-ounce) bottles

This might not be new, but it’s certainly back. In a highly anticipated return, you’ll find the seasonal favorites from this plant-based milk leader chilling in the dairy section of your local market. Of course, this includes their Pumpkin Spice Latte Cold Brew, a fan favorite since its introduction back in 2014. For those who prefer to make their own blends, its little sister, Pumpkin Spice Almondmilk Creamer, which was born in 2017, rejoins the big bottle. And for folks like me, who prefer warmth over spice, the Maple Caramel Almondmilk Creamer is returning for its sophomore run.

Buy: Pumpkin Spice Latte Cold Brew, $5.99 for 48 ounces at Target
Buy: Pumpkin Spice Almondmilk Creamer, $4.99 for 25.4 ounces at Target

It’s no surprise that Califia Farms isn’t the only coffee creamer jumping into the non-dairy pond. However, Elmhurst’s new oat-based option is doing it in the shelf-stable section of your local markets. The creamer adds hemp cream to its blend, but leaves out the gums, oils, gluten, carrageenan, GMOs, and most of the sugar (only one gram per serving). 

Buy: Pumpkin Spice Oat Creamer, $5.99 for 16 ounces at Hive

For a limited time, Nonni’s Pumpkin Spice Biscotti is back on the market, featuring real pumpkin, seasonal spices, and gourmet cinnamon icing. If you’re noncommittal to that seasonal squash, the new Cinnamon Streusel variety is topped with oatmeal streusel and white icing. Like all of Nonni’s crunchy, delicious biscotti, they’re individually wrapped, which is great for freshness and on-the-go snacking. But move on these fast, as they’ll be replaced by two exciting, new seasonal flavors — Gingerbread with Almonds and Dark Chocolate Peppermint — next month!

Buy: Cinnamon Streusel Biscotti, $3.99 for eight at ShopRite

If there’s one pumpkin spice product that’ll turn me, it’s this mochi. Bubbies’ takes creamy pumpkin pie-flavored ice cream and wraps it up in a thick, glutinous (but gluten-free) coat of soft, sweet mochi dough for an indulgent treat. Personally, I love this brand and its medley of flavors, and this seasonal one doesn’t disappoint. Its ultra-simple ingredient list is void of anything artificial, and they use real pumpkin in their recipe.

Buy: Pumpkin Mochi Ice Cream, $5.99 for six at Safeway 

This brand of fresh-churned, kosher, halal compound butters has a knack for flavor pairings, and this month they’re showcasing their talents across a tasty trio of spreads: Pumpkin, Honey, and, for the savory enthusiasts, White Truffle. I’m loving the latter with steak these days.

More info: Chef Shamy

Known for their Cookie Cups (single-serving, gourmet ice cream cups with a whole soft-baked cookie on top), ChurnBaby has flipped the script with these ice cream sandwiches. Starting this month, you can score two flavors at select retailers or online: Caramel Cookies N’ Cream (cookies and cream ice cream and a sea salt caramel ribbon sandwiched between two double chocolate cookies) and Caramel Cashew (ultra-sweet caramel ice cream, cashew chunks, and a sea salt caramel ribbon sandwiched between two shortbread cookies). Hand ‘em over!

Buy: Caramel Cookies N’ Cream, $5.99 for three at Caspers
Buy: Caramel Cashew Shortbread, $5.99 for three at Caspers

Moving beyond sweet treats, RealGood Foods’ introduces two Italian-inspired combos to their lineup of grain-free, gluten-free, high-protein, frozen entrées: Marinara Ricotta Cannelloni and Chicken Alfredo Cannelloni. Like their cheese and chicken enchiladas, these swap the traditional carb encasing for a cheesy, chicken-based wrapper. The antibiotic-free white meat is the texture of a carved slice of roasted chicken.

Buy: Marinara Ricotta Cannelloni, $6.99 for 9 ounces at Real Good Foods
Buy: Chicken Alfredo Cannelloni, $6.99 for 9 ounces at Real Good Foods

If you’re not familiar with RightRice, this is a line of rice substitutes made of nutritionally dense vegetables (not cauliflower, for a change!) and, in this case, ancient grains. These gluten-free, vegan granules are composed of lentils, chickpeas, peas, and some rice flour and mixed with quinoa and sorghum. This formula sneaks in eight grams of protein and five grams of fiber per serving, and brings down the net carb count to 25% less than white rice with a lower glycemic index, to boot. The Tomato Herb Medley is the newest flavor in the lineup.

More info: RightRice

Cleveland Kitchen started with some killer krauts, moved on this summer to fermented dressing, and now, have found themselves in a pickle — crunchy, refreshing, delicious, pickles they’re calling Dilly Garlic. They’re honestly so good, I’ve been putting them on every sandwich and burger I’ve made for weeks. And then I’ve been washing down each bite with yet another pickle chip. They come packed with fresh herbs and are lightly fermented. They’re also vegan, gluten-free, and kosher. 

More info: Cleveland Kitchen

Fresh breath be damned. Michelin-starred Carbone just launched a new, garlicky jarred sauce. The famous NYC restaurant only started bottling and distributing their sauces earlier this year. In general, their sauces are voluptuous, meaty-tasting, and flavor-concentrated. With sweet, stinky roasted garlic as the headliner, excuse me while I pour this on everything. 

More info: Carbone

Summer’s over, but its flavors are far from gone, thanks to these new specialty honeys. Runamok Maple, known for their artisan maple syrups, defies fall fads with their debut line of raw (Florida Orange Blossom, High Plains Clover) and infused honey (Lemon Verbena Infused, Hibiscus Flower Infused). If you’re looking for a different kind of heat, I recommend the Chipotle Morita, Chile de Arbol, and Szechuan Peppercorn infusions. For something a bit more seasonal, there’s the Beekeeper’s Cut, which is derived from Northern Appalachian autumn wildflowers.

More info: Runamok Maple

Made with roasted whole sesame seeds, harissa, and salt, this tahini has a distinctive, spicy flavor. The convenient squeezable bottle makes it easy to dress sandwiches, salads, and grilled meats. You can even serve this creamy condiment to your vegan, gluten, dairy-free, kosher, and halal friends in lieu of, for instance, mayo. I’m personally drizzling this rich, Ethiopian-sourced blend over salmon and simple salad greens.

Buy: Harissa Tahini, $7.99 for two 10.9-ounce bottles

One of the United Kingdom’s best-selling drink brands is making its way Stateside with two botanical wine-based bevs. The light, fruity flavors — Cucumber, Juniper & Lime and Rose, Strawberry & Elderflower — are reminiscent of a season just past. There’s a twinge of spirit alcohol in them, but at only 5.5%, it’s just enough to keep things casual. You can find them at your local ALDI.

More info: Three Mills

Which of these are you most excited about?