From the months of September to November, daylight becomes shorter and leaves begin to turn from their vibrant green colors to reds, oranges and browns. The air gets chillier, Thanksgiving is right around the corner and every candle lit smells like pumpkin spice and cinnamon. Apple orchards begin to open and everyone pulls out their Uggs from the back of their closets. 

A classic of fall is the unique recipes and fall food items that are only available at this time of year. “I like pumpkins. Pumpkin pie,” freshman Tenguella Dieng said. 

Senior Jordyn Kolchins agrees that pies are a staple of autumn. “One of my favorite fall recipes is sour cream apple pie,” she said. Cinnamon is the ingredient that reminds her most of fall.

Thanksgiving dishes are an icon of the fall season. As families cook for days to serve a variety of dishes at their Thanksgiving meal, students tend to have a favorite. “The best is probably mashed potatoes,” junior James Cooke said.

Fall-themed coffee is also a classic item as the weather gets chillier. In the fall season, Starbucks releases its fall menus for the consumer demand of fall flavors, rising to the evolving and popular tastes. According to Forbes, “In the year ending on July 29, U.S. sales of pumpkin-flavored products reached an all-time high of $802.5 million, marking a whopping 42 percent increase from the previous year.” 

“I usually get a pumpkin chai latte,” sophomore Charlotte Cornman said.

Starbucks’ pumpkin spice lattes, or PSL for short, were introduced to the world in 2003. Twenty years later they have had a huge impact on the coffee industry as they have sparked a new coffee trend. According to Forbes, “Starbucks’ fall exploration extends beyond beverages with new food items that capture the season’s spirit.”

Along with coffee, tea is a common fall beverage. “I always get some sort of tea because it’s cold outside, so I usually get like a London fog,” sophomore Alyssa Tyler said. 

Dieng believes that hot chocolate is the best way to stay warm in the fall. “At Starbucks, I’d get a hot chocolate,” he said.

While the leaves change colors and hours of the day differ, so do the recipes for the fall season. These ingredients and foods won’t be around all year, so go get a PSL while you can and savor the Thanksgiving leftovers!