Did you know that your sense of taste and smell triggers core memories? Perhaps this is why seasonal drinks are more anticipated than other drinks; the taste and smell are reminiscent of the seasonal memories linked to them. 

Interestingly, the anticipation around the return of seasonal flavors actually has a psychological impact on consumers. Food companies specifically create seasonal-flavored drinks to attract more customers. At the start of fall, you may have looked forward to pumpkin spice, butternut squash, and apple cider flavors. With winter comes peppermint, gingerbread, and eggnog flavors. In the spring, strawberries, cream, lemon and mint, and apricot with almonds emerge. With the heat of the summer, we thirst for watermelon, pineapple, cucumbers, and lemon flavors. 

“My favorite holiday flavor is probably peppermint. I get so excited in the wintertime because everything becomes available in peppermint, and it just reminds me of Christmas,” said junior Isabella Joel Manuel.

“My favorite season of the year is spring, so my favorite seasonal holiday flavor is rose. I like it because I love the floral taste, and it reminds me of Spring,” junior Kaela Chou said. 

“Summer is cool because it reminds me of lemons and lemonade, and during the Summer I really like to make lemonade,” said freshman Peter Manuel. 

“I prefer savory flavors over sweet things, so my favorite seasonal holiday flavor is gravy. I also like that gravy is incorporated more into the main part of Thanksgiving dinner, which reminds me of the unity and warmth felt during Thanksgiving,” sophomore Erica Jeong said. 

So what are your favorite seasonal flavors and the memories that are connected to them?