6 Healthy Fall Fruits & Veggies

The leaves are changing, the weather is cooling, and the fall harvest is ready for picking! Don’t let the comfort foods of fall side track you from eating a well -balanced diet or from meeting your health and wellness goals. The autumn harvest brings a variety of healthful and delicious produce, from parsnips and sweet potatoes to apples and pears. Our corporate dietitians provided us with plenty of delicious recipes to help add these fall flavors to your plate without sabotaging your diet.

Sweet Potatoes

It is easy to say that sweet potatoes are a southern favorite. But don’t forget there are so many great benefits to eating sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are a good source of:

•  Fiber
• Potassium
• Vitamin B6

Along with all these nutrients, they are also an excellent source of vitamin A.

They can be roasted, baked, mashed, pureed, or incorporated into recipes. Sweet potatoes are perfect in both sweet and savory dishes and bring a delicious unique flavor to the root family. Give our Sweet Potato Caramelized Banana Mash a try!

Apples

Crisp, juicy, delicious apples are a great fall treat. These fruits can be enjoyed by themselves or added to lots of great recipes. Not only are these delicious but they also include these benefits in just one apple:

• Over 4 grams of fiber
• Good source of vitamin C

Don’t forget — it is important to eat the skin of the fruit in order to obtain all of the nutrients. Try our Kale, Red Cabbage, and Apple Slaw recipe as a Better Choice side option for any dinner.

Potatoes

Nothing says fall comfort food like good ol’ potatoes. We love how versatile they are because they can be baked, boiled, mashed or roasted. These roots are rich in vitamin C, and also contain potassium and vitamin B6. Look for varieties including red, Idaho russet, and Yukon Gold. This fall, try our Roasted Potatoes and Squash recipe.

Parsnips

These late-season vegetables require cold weather to convert their starches into sugar, developing their appealingly sweet flavor. Even better than their sweetness, parsnips are a good source of:

• Fiber
• Vitamin C
• Folate

The skin of parsnip is packed with flavor and can be used to add seasoning to vegetable or chicken broth. You can also enjoy them unpeeled and substitute for carrots in most meals. Try our Beef Cottage Pie recipe and start enjoying this unique little root.

Beets

Beets have an earthy yet sweet flavor. Beets are an excellent source of:

• Folate

Roasting whole beets is the best method for retaining their sweetness. Look for our beet spirals or chunks the next time you are in the store.

Pears

Apples aren’t the only fall fruit in town. Pears offer similar benefits such as:

• Fiber
• Vitamin C

Check for ripeness daily by applying pressure with your thumb to the stem end. If it gives slightly, it is ripe and ready to enjoy. Handle pears carefully to prevent bruising. Let us help you get your pear on with our Cider-Glazed Sweet Potatoes and Pear recipe that is sure to give you all the warm, sweet flavors you are craving this season.

Our produce this season has lots of nutritious and delicious benefits to offer. Let us know what your favorite fall recipes include!