Little Debbie's Fall Pumpkin Delights: Filled Cookies

Ya know... there's just something about these cookies that make me happy.  Perhaps it's the smile (albeit a little ominous looking, some of them)?  The taste of the fall season rearing it's head?  The soft and tenderness that is a Little Debbie's sweet?

Whatever it is, I love it.  These Pumpkin Delights only come 'round once a year.  Their cakes and other snacks merely get a make-over.  (Seriously... their "new" Fall Tree Cakes are merely differently sprinkled Christmas Tree Cakes - both have got the same shape, yellow cake innards, chocolate creme fillings, and enrobed in chocolate flavor.)  But these pumpkin filled cookies... you can only get them once a year.

I recall only ever having this once as a kid.  More than a decade later, at age 21, I see them again at Target and it brings back memories.  I never used to purchase sweets, but it's a good pick-me-up during long lectures courses where food isn't allowed and I had left the house without my usual  piece of fruit or trail mix.

These cookies really hit the spot.  I don't believe I've had absolutely every single Little Debbie's sweet, but I really like this one as well as their brownies (so dense and chewy!) and their oatmeal filled cookies now and again.  Like I said, it's not often that I purchase sweets, but when I do, it's probably a Little Debbie's brand snack (or Oreos, but there had best be milk around).

Oh yeah... and don'tcha think my little cookie resembles Sack Boy from Little Big Planet?  I've also been told one of the characters from the movie 9 and Sam, the Halloween Spirit.  :)  Cute.

Why Purchase Individually Wrapped?

I was at the store a little while back and overheard a mother telling her son to get ONLY the individually packaged snacks to pack for his school lunches.  Really?  REALLY?  In some cases, I can see doing this, but in others, not so much.

For one, the price of getting pre-packaged, individually wrapped, snacks costs a whole lot more than buying in "bulk" and portioning them out yourself.  You're just paying for the extra packing material with the brand name slapped on in pretty colors.  The only time I could find this useful is to keep foods that I know I don't eat too much of, fresh.  Others would argue that it takes too much time out of their morning (WTF???) to pack them.

Anyway.  How do I combat this?  I purchase items that I know will be eaten before their "best by" date and portion them into smaller containers for easy, grab-n-go awesomeness.  I personally use the "Small Rounds" (1/2 cup) containers from Glad.  They hold up pretty well and I find them to be a great size for snacks.  Waste of time?  Nah.  It takes but 2 minutes to portion everything out.  o_O  Don't be lazy.

This week, I have honey mustard pretzel bits and trail mix.  For less than $2.00 for either, I was able to get 4 servings of trail mix (only because I bought the more expensive, non-raisin type of trail mix)  and 6 servings of pretzel bits.