Mindy Kaling Taste-Tests Pumpkin Spice Foods—See Which One She Says 'Tastes Like Astroturf'
Mindy Kaling just made it a whole lot easier to channel your most “basic” instincts.
The actress, 40, shared a video of herself on Thursday taste-testing seven of the best pumpkin spice products on the market in 2019, and she definitely didn’t hold back with her honest opinions.
In the video, Kaling sipped on a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte and tried multiple Trader Joe’s products, including a “muffin in a cup” (spoiler alert: she loved it!).
“So here in LA, the only way you know that it’s fall is because it’s Pumpkin Spice Latte time. Cause you know what? Summer lasts 12 months. It’s 90 frickin’ degrees out right now,” she said to kick off the video.
“Mmmm….I feel fall coming on,” she joked after trying the iconic seasonal beverage. “I’m sorry, it’s so basic to say that you like PSLs from Starbucks, but I guess I’m that basic girl because this tastes damn good.”
Next, Kaling sampled Trader Joe’s Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies with yogurt coating: “Very L.A., and very petite for the record…I could have like 40 of these without it registering as a cookie…it tastes pretty good!” she exclaimed. “Of course, like I said, I would have to have about 30 of them before I registered them as one cookie, but they’re delicious.”
RELATED: Martha Stewart Says Pumpkin Spice Is for ‘Basic Bitches Only’
“It does not get any more L.A .than this,” Kaling said about her next snack: Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Organic Pumpkin Spice Granola Bark. Ultimately, though, she was not a fan. “It tastes like…astroturf. Not my fave.”
RELATED: Mindy Kaling Tasted All of the Crazy Oreo Flavors and Picked a Clear Winner
Kaling had a bad feeling about the Pumpkin Spice Latte Popcorn from Whole Foods, but ended up absolutely loving it. She even looped in the viral “Kombucha Girl” TikTok video to express the pleasant surprise. “Woah…Kind of like Kettle corn-y, but with a little nutmeg. I thought this was gonna be barf central, but you know what? Pretty good.”
The Chocolove Pumpkin Spice Bites from Whole Foods were up next, but Kaling wasn’t a fan of them: “Me do not like,” she joked, imitating Cookie Monster.
Up next were Trader Joe’s Spiced Pumpkin Madeleine Cookies, which Kaling prefaced before eating by saying, “This might be controversial but I think Madeline’s are the grossest kind of cookies; they’re just too restrained for me.” But after just one bite, she revealed that it was the “first Madeleine I’ve ever liked!”
RELATED: Mindy Kaling Reviews 12 ‘Hippie-Dippie’ Ice Cream Flavors for National Ice Cream Day
Last but not least, Kaling tried a microwaveable, pumpkin-spiced “muffin in a cup,” which she said has more protein than an egg and “smells like straight-up cat food when cooked.” Although clearly suspicious, she tried the muffin creation anyway and appeared visibly shocked: “Delicious…This is like eating a steak! This is great,” she raved. “Every morning your co-workers will hate you because you make the office smell like cat food, but…do it anyway!”
Kaling’s video has been viewed nearly 450,000 times so far. Some celebrities were clearly big fans of the video and commented their support, like American Horror Story actress Sarah Paulson, who wrote, “I literally watched this like it was Citizen Kane ❤️,” and Scandal star Kerry Washington, who wrote, “I need you to have your own cooking show IMMEDIATELY! This is fantastic and now I want to eat all things pumpkin spice so thanks for the recommendations! 🎃🎃🎃” Even the official Starbucks’ Instagram account left a series of pumpkin and orange heart emojis on the video in response to Kaling’s positive feelings toward the classic fall drink.
WATCH: Sugar, Spice & Everything Nice! Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte Returns Early
Need more of Kaling’s hysterical taste tests? Check out her “Hippie-Dippie” ice cream taste test for National Ice Cream Day in July, and her Oreo taste test from National Oreo Day in March. You’ll definitely have a craving for sweets after watching them.
