Fall is here! And with it comes many delicious and nutritious foods that you can incorporate into your favorite recipes. We recommend choosing fruits and vegetables in season for the best-flavored meals, they're also more affordable that way! While fall food may vary depending on your region's climate, we've put together a seasonal food guide that will help better navigate your local food stores and farmer's markets ensuring that you get the most out of your meals. Keep scrolling to discover which delicious ingredients you should pick up the next time you head to the market.
Apples
While apples can be found year-round, their prime harvesting season (in the northern hemisphere) is late summer through fall. They're perfect for spiced teas, fall smoothies or making sweet apple pies. The countless ways you can use apples this fall season will have you buying them every chance you get.
Curious to know which apple you should use to bake the perfect apple pie? Check out our Complete Guide on the Best Apples for Apple Pie.
Arugula
Fall greens are in. From salads to quiche baked, greens can be used in several recipes to enhance the flavor, texture and nutritional value. In most climates, arugula is harvested in the fall and winter and can be found fresh on grocery store shelves.
Green Beans
If you're a fan of green beans, then you've just become a fan of fall. Like many other vine-based foods, green beans tend to be sweetest when harvested during their natural season, mid-summer to fall. An authentic fall side dish, green beans taste best when turned into a savory green bean casserole or accompanied with other seasonal recipes like mashed potatoes, turkey and gravy.
Beets
Beets are often available fresh in the fall through spring. Not only are beets packed with loads of nutritional benefits, but they also taste great in several recipes ranging from sweet to savory. Pair beets with fresh goat cheese and nuts for a tasty dip, or grill them and enjoy them alongside your main course.
Persimmons
Resembling a tomato, persimmons are a sweet fruit available for a short time in the fall and early winter. They are used to make jam, bread and risotto. Keep an eye out for Persimmons in local grocery stores and markets as this is one fall fruit that you won't want to miss out on.
Brussels Sprouts
Did you know that Brussels sprouts grow on a stalk? Most commonly harvested in the fall, Brussels sprouts can often be purchased with the stem still intact during this season. Purchasing Brussels sprouts this way will help keep this powerhouse of a veggie fresher for longer. Plus, you can be confident that they are indeed farm to table!
Add brussel sprouts to your list of pizza toppings and make this mouthwatering Winter Harvest Pizza. Perfect for warming up the house and the dinner table!
Carrots
While orange carrots are harvested year-round, more unusual varieties like white and purple carrots are harvested in their natural season - late summer and fall. If you notice different colors and types of carrots on the shelves, don't be afraid to grab them! Though they have the same taste, dark purple carrots with more color often have more nutrients and are a great addition to your fall recipes.
Transform your carrots into a healthy dessert by following this Paleo Carrot Cake Recipe.
Chilies
Are you a fan of spicy food? Now is the time to indulge. Chili's are best harvested in fall and can be worked into countless recipes. Using chili to spice up your foods will not only make your food hotter; it can keep you warm as well. Just a few spicy chilies are enough to have an entire dinner party reaching for a cold glass of water.
Grapes
Brace yourself because grape season is here! Ripened towards the end of summer and harvested into fall, you'll likely see your local markets filled with large beautiful grapes ready to eat. Enjoy them as-is, work them into a fall dessert bake, or mix them into your favorite fruit salad for a sweet and refreshing treat.
Cranberries
Cranberry jam, cranberry sangria, and a cranberry apple crisp are just a few of the many fall recipes you can make this season. A fall harvested berry, cranberries are native to North America and are usually sold whole (and fresh) in grocery stores throughout winter.
Sweeten up your seasonal menu and make these Cranberry Walnut Scones to share with family and friends this holiday season.
Eggplant
Eggplant is one fall ingredient that we can't live without. Whether we're making grilled eggplant or using it as a meat substitute in a vegan recipe, the outcome is always delicious. An end-of-summer and early fall harvested vegetable, whole eggplants are sold in stores through the season and can be worked into several main course meals.
Kale
Kale tastes just as great as it is for you - which is incredible! Cooler temperatures keep kale sweet, which means it tastes best when cut in the fall and winter months. Don’t know how to cook kale? Don’t worry, it’s easy! Use kale in your favorite seasonal salad recipe, or season and bake it to create delicious low-carb chips.
Surprise your family with a healthy version of their favorite comfort food and make these Black Bean and Creamy Kale Enchiladas.
Pomegranates
Though it takes a while for pomegranates to grow, they only truly ripen in warm climates. This means that they are often available for purchase in fall and through early winter. Loaded with antioxidants, pomegranates are a highly nutritious fruit that will add a sweet boost of flavor to your weekly meal menu.
Artichokes
Artichokes make for the perfect side dish to pair along in a zesty fall salad or accompany your favorite warm meal. While their first harvest is usually in early spring, they yield a second harvest in the fall that produces medium-to-small sized artichokes.
Cauliflower
By nature, cauliflower is a cool-weather crop and is most often harvested in fall and winter. Use cauliflower to make a healthy version of mashed potatoes to pair with your holiday Turkey, or turn it into a base for Buffalo Baked Cauliflower Falafel.
Lettuce
To be honest, we can't imagine any season without lettuce. Lettuce is used in everyday staples like salads, burgers and sandwiches. Thankfully lettuce is usually available for purchase year-round. However, with warmer weather comes bitter lettuce, meaning that it tastes best when harvested in colder seasons like fall and winter.
Broccoli
While you'll likely find broccoli available in-store through every season, in most climates, fresh broccoli is harvested in the fall. Whether you notice that the broccoli on your store's shelves is larger, or there's just more of it, now is the time to buy. Perfect for making a creamy soup, steamed veggies or eaten as a snack to pair with dip, broccoli is an easy to incorporate veggie that will surely add a boost of nutrition to your meals.
Quinoa
Quinoa is derived from a broadleaf plant whose seeds are used much like grains. Being a cool season plant, quinoa is most successively harvested in fall. An excellent plant-based protein source, quinoa makes for a great grain bowl base and can even be used to make veggie burgers. Quinoa can also be added to soups and salads and mixed with other grains to boost essential vitamins, nutrients and protein.
Chard
Much like cabbage, the flavor of chard is best when it has been harvested in colder temperatures. This makes fall a prime time for purchasing chard. Add chard to your favorite fall salad, enjoy it sauteed with greens, or turn it into a creamy soup! No matter how you choose to cook with chard, we're confident it will liven up your seasonal menu.
Potatoes
As another veggie commonly available year-round, we often forget that potatoes have a specific harvesting season - fall! Baked potatoes, scallop potatoes and mashed potatoes are just a few seasonal favorites that can be made with this tasty vegetable.
Cabbage
Ever wonder why cabbage soup is more prevalent in the colder months? When harvested, the cooler the weather, the sweeter the cabbage. Cold weather makes such an impact on a cabbage's taste that the effect has a name known as "frost kissed." If you're searching for fall food to have on hand, cabbage is a great option. Shred it and put it into a salad, use it as one of the foremost veggies is your favorite spring roll recipe, or turn it into a sweet, warming soup.
Pumpkins
Fall and pumpkins go together. With pumpkin spiced lattes and pumpkin pies being sold just about everywhere, it's no secret that pumpkin is a fall/winter squash. The pumpkins' flesh can be turned into delicious soups, Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes, pies and even cubed and added to a savory salad recipe. Pumpkin seeds also provide a great source of antioxidants. To enjoy, season them with a bit of olive oil and salt and bake in the oven until fully cooked. Yum!
Figs
While figs' first harvest is in the summer, they have a second harvest in late fall, perfect timing for some delicious fig jam. Add figs to savory recipes like roasts and pork. Or, channel their sweet flavors and make a delightful dessert. To enjoy throughout the winter, we recommend turning fresh figs into jam. Delicious when spread atop of melted Brie or a fresh stack of pancakes, they are a sweet treat that everyone will want a bite of.
Celery
Fun fact - the prime time to purchase celery is in the fall! Eat it fresh and topped with peanut butter, chop it and add it to your favorite stew, or use it as an edible stirring stick in a much-needed holiday Bloody Mary. Celery and celery juice is excellent for you!
And there you have it! A complete guide to our favorite in-season fall foods. Use this list the next time you're heading to the grocery store to determine which in-season foods you should purchase.
Have a favorite fall ingredient that we didn’t include. Let us know which fall produce items you add to your seasonal grocery list in the comments below!
Love to bake? Check out our list of fall baking ideas today!
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