The sound of wood crackling in the fireplace, the sight of sweaters unpacked for the season, and the scent of pumpkin spice literally everywhere. The next three months are about to be a mood, and the mood is cozy. So wrap yourself in a blanket, put on your thickest socks, and dig into our Imperfect Almanac.
It’s got everything you need to get in the mood for food and all things fall.
Eating seasonally supports local farms, is often better for the environment, and inspires great cooking. Check out our guide to get the deets on beets, gourds, apples, and more.
As usual, we’re baffled to see the epic bounties of perfectly delicious produce that grocery stores deem undesirable.
But thankfully, our produce buyers can see past imperfections to spot sunburned grapes that are still great, under-sized strawberries that are sweeter, and incredible heirloom tomatoes (no matter what their shape). So check out our top produce picks for the season and their juicy stories.
But thankfully, our food forecasters have been carefully observing incoming “whether” patterns to see whether our new seasonally-inspired groceries will be delicious or whether they will be very delicious. We can confidently confirm that you can fully expect the following delights when you shop with us this season
It would appear that it’s a good time to be near the green beans this Thanksgiving as we fully expect you to be sprinkling our very crunchy and delicious Crispy Onions all over them.
We can also confirm that later this fall there will be fair skies and Fair Trade snacks like our Root & Tuber Chips. They’re made from a tasty medley of crunchy root veggies perfect for a pre-dinner snack or stuffed into a leftovers sandwich.
Our Kettle Cooked Plantain Chips will also be here soon and make for a very a-peeling snack. They’re made from maqueño plantains, a unique variety sourced sustainably through direct trade. So be sure to pick up something to dip them in like our new sweet and salty Sweet Potato Hummus.
Stay indoors this season with our coterie of new maple syrup-y items. You can cozy up by the fire with our Maple Walnut Cheesecake Bites made with upcycled okara flour.
And be sure to get your mitts on a bag of our new Chocolatey Maple Granola Whenever Bark. It’s made with hunks of maple chips leftover from the maple sugar-making process. Yum.
But if you’d prefer to get caught in the rain, we can’t recommend our new Organic Maple Syrup enough. It’s single-sourced from a farm in Vermont that’s dedicated to forest preservation. Everything from the soil health of their sugarbush to the maple-making process is done with a dedication to sustainability.
Grab your sturdiest umbrella because we’re predicting an unprecedented pumpkin downpour. Jars of rich, smooth, and absolutely delicious Pumpkin Butter will be here to add a smattering of instant autumn to any pasta, French toast, or decadent sandwich.
Many of our most pumpkin-y fan favorites will also be making an appearance like our Pumpkin Spice Seasoning, Pumpkin Spice Coffee, and (not a pumpkin but similar idea) Butternut Squash Soup.
For dessert, our Crispy Pumpkin Spice & Chocolate Chip Cookies will be passing through the atmosphere.
But wait, what’s this blowing in from the south? That’s not the heat from the oven that’s making you blush. It’s our rich and smooth, classic Pumpkin Pie. Wrapped in a tender, flakey crust and spiced to perfection with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, this pie is sure to charm even the biggest squash-skeptics you know.
Your home gardening questions, answered by our in-house gardening expert, Gary Gardener.
Rich, smooth, and creamy—our scrumptious Pumpkin Butter adds a smattering of instant autumn to baked goods, buttery pasta, and tart and cheesy sandwiches. Since it’s only at Imperfect for the season, you’ll want to spread, smear, and dollop it onto as many things as possible. Start experimenting with a few of our favorite pumpkin-butter-forward recipes.
Anthony Bourdain famously said that great stock is one of the biggest differences between restaurant cooking and home cooking. It’s the secret ingredient that adds depth, intensity, and structure to any dish! Learn how to make your own simple stock by following this guide.
Written by Irene Lee
Every year around September and October, when the moon is looking incredibly full and bright, many East Asian cultures celebrate a multi-day holiday known as the Harvest Moon Festival, Moon Festival, or Chuseok, to name a few. But I know it best as the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Written by Tegan Harmonay
A gift goes missing on a college campus and a very smelly something is unexpectedly delivered.
Pumpkin Spice Popcorn
Free-spirited rebels like Aquarius prefer a similarly out-of-the-box snack to reflect their individuality.
Food Waste Tip: Keep your popcorn fresher for longer by storing it in the fridge.
Crispy Pumpkin Spice and Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pisces are sweet but with an edgy twist, just like our cookies!
Food Waste Tip: Enjoy any leftover crumbs at the bottom as a tasty topping for ice cream.
Chocolate Maple Granola Whenever Bark
An energizing and on-the-go snack for the always-moving Aries.
Food Waste Tip: Sprinkle the crumbs at the bottom of the bag on yogurt or a smoothie for a tasty crunch.
Rainbow Carrot Cuts
Lovers of stability, nature, and extravagance, Tauruses are such Rainbow Carrots.
Food Waste Tip: You know when you leave carrots in the bag for too long and they get all soft and weird? Roast them in the oven at a low temperature until crisp around the edges.
Sweet Potato Hummus
Sweet and salty to appease both sides of the Gemini’s dual-natured personality.
Food Waste Tip: After all the hummus is gone, we use these containers as water-catching dishes for the plants we’re probably overwatering.
Upcycled Oatmilk Ginger Cookies
A deliciously creative snack for the imaginative and wonder-seeking Cancer.
Food Waste Tip: Cookies gone crumbly? Sprinkle any crumbs on ice cream for a treat that feels fancy.
Maple Almond Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets
Warm-hearted and funny, Leos will appreciate that this snack is made with maple syrup sourced from a place called Butternut Mountain.
Food Waste Tip: Enjoy the leftover pretzel pieces at the bottom of the bag as a crunchy oatmeal topping.
Apple Crisp Granola
Perfect for Virgo’s who like to be healthy but honestly need to treat themselves a little every now and then.
Zero Waste Tip: Have apples that have browned a little too much? Bake them in the oven and top with this granola for a little crunch.
Pumpkin Butter
Versatile, unique, and great for social butterfly Libras to share.
Food Waste Tip: This jar is too cute to toss. Upcycle it and use it to keep herbs fresh in the fridge or spruce up a charcuterie board.
Pumpkin Spice Ground Coffee
Enigmatic like a Scorpio, no one really knows just what it is that makes pumpkin spice coffee so suspiciously delicious.
Food Waste Tip: Use leftover coffee grounds as fertilizer for acidic soil-loving plants.
Fuyu Persimmon
Sweet, smart, and a little crunchy, there’s no better match for a Sagittarius than a Fuyu Persimmon.
Food Waste Tip: Add your leftover persimmon pits to vinegar for an easy base for homemade salad dressings.
Butternut Squash Soup
Healthy and delicious, this soup is the perfect indulgence for disciplined yet sensitive Capricorns.
Food Waste Tip: Roast just about any leftover veggies you have and toss them in to add a little extra something-something to your soup.
