You hear about it, you see it everywhere you go…it’s becoming an epidemic, some could say. Yes- the pumpkin spice phenomenon.

Walking into the lunchroom, I decide to check out what the snack bar has to offer. As I’m approaching, I see where the frozen yogurt’s flavor of the day is posted and I couldn’t believe my eyes. The first thing that popped into my head is “You have to be kidding me.” The flavor of the day: Pumpkin Spice.

It started as a trend, a marketing tool…but now it’s everywhere. You walk through the stores in the fall and begin to see pumpkin spice flavored everything. From lattes to pringles, there’s that demanding flavor. Once a new flavor comes around, everyone gets excited. But not like this. The real question is, has it gone too far?

It started as a coffee drink and spread among the supermarket shelves like wildfire.

The drink is understandable. But then you begin researching and realize all the abnormal products that are out there. It starts with pringles and just goes downhill from there. There is pumpkin spice flavored pasta. Even better? Lasagna. So next time you’re making that traditional Italian dinner, just know that there’s more variety than you thought to spice up that special dish.

In 2003, Starbucks released the Pumpkin Spice Latte and that’s where it all began. Customers began to notice the love of the flavor and ordered more. Soon the Pumpkin Spice was everywhere, every company was making something with that flavor, even if it was completely abnormal for them. Hummus, jerky, pasta, almonds, bagels and peanut butter to name a few. Even home products like shampoo, nail polish and milk have come out.

According to Health.com, a standard order of a grande Pumpkin Spice Latte is 360 calories, 13 grams of fat and 49 grams of sugar, which is about the same of a small meal. While the drink is only in the 300 calorie range, Einstein Bros Pumpkin Walnut Bagel is a whooping 440 calories. And just keep in mind, most of these products aren’t made with real pumpkin, they are made with artificial flavoring.

According to npr.org, the jug of pumpkin spice flavoring for Starbucks included “natural and artificial flavoring,” which they concluded was basically just a bunch of substitute chemicals for nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and vanilla. The key point is that there is no real actual pumpkin in the drink. So why and the heck do people want this?? It’s not even real pumpkin! You’d have more luck just eating out of an actual pumpkin.

The trend is ridiculous and needs to end. If you’re OK with all the calories and fake flavoring, then go for that latte. But the pointless items inspired by the trendy spice need to be stopped. I get joy in my eyes when I think about the day where I can walk through the store and not see pumpkin spice in every other aisle.