What's in Season: Fall Produce Guide

There are few foods that are better for the human body than fresh produce. Fruits and vegetables (along with a few other grown crops) are generally high in fiber, low in calories, rich in vitamins and minerals, known to provide boosts to the human immune system, and generally taste pretty good! Of course, given the fact that these particular consumables are grown out of the ground (rather than manufactured in a factory), they tend to have a limited window of time during which one can enjoy them.

This is called ‘being in season’, and it should play a large part in your grocery buying decisions. Produce that is in season tastes better, because rather than being harvested early, refrigerated, and then transported, it it able to be picked when it’s most ripe and eaten almost immediately. In-season produce also generally costs less, due to decreased transportation and preservation costs, and is also able to retain more of its nutrients. With this handy reference guide, you’ll always know what kind of fruits and vegetables to bring home, no matter what time of the year it is. After all, it doesn’t need to be difficult to follow. And, as an added bonus we’ve decided to include links to some of our most popular recipes, so that you’ll also have some good ideas of what you can use all this great produce for.

Understanding the seasonality of food, will help you eat healthier, save more, and get more enjoyment out of your meals.   As the days start to get shorter and the summer heat recedes, certain produce becomes fully ripe. Autumn is the last chance to enjoy many late growing crops before the winter frost sets in, so get out to the market and enjoy those fruits and vegetables while you can. Remember, seasonality in food means striking while the iron is hot!

Here's our fall produce guide for your convenience, and some great recipes: (As we come into each season, we'll introduce a new produce guide.)

Recipes

• Apples: Apple Compote
• Bananas: Banana Bread
• Beets: Savory Beet Soup
• Bell Peppers: Fresh Mild Salsa
• Blackberries: Blackberry Thyme Preserves
• Broccoli: Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
• Butternut Squash: Maple Butternut Squash Soup
• Cabbage: Golabkis (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
• Carrots: Roasted Carrot-Apple Soup
• Cauliflower: Mashed Cauliflower or Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce or Cauliflower Rice
• Celery: Perfect Potato Soup
• Corn: Hearty Vegetable Chowder
• Cranberries: Cinnamon and Ginger Cranberry Sauce
• Garlic: Garlic Aioli
• Grapefruit: The Pink Juice
• Grapes: Hydrating Green Juice
• Kale: Kale Pesto
• Leeks: Cauliflower Leek Soup
• Lemons: Raw Lemon Cheesecake
• Lettuce: Strawberry Swirl Superfood Smoothie
• Mushrooms: Chicken Mushroom Crepes
• Onions: Salsa Roja
• Oranges: Pineapple Orange Juice
• Parsnips: Spiced Parsnip Muffins
• Peaches: Skinny Peach Berry Smoothie
• Pears: Pear Fruit Leather
• Potatoes: Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• Pumpkins: Pumpkin Puree or Must-Have Pumpkin recipes
• Raspberries: Raspberry & White Chocolate Mocha
• Sweet Potatoes: Red Pepper and Sweet Potato Soup
• Tomatillos: Roasted Tomatillo & Cilantro Salsa
• Yams: Sweet Potato Pie