Fall Produce Guide
Using this Seasonal Fall Fruits And Vegetables List will help you optimize your grocery budget while maximizing the flavor of your recipes!
Are you ready for fall produce? Technically, the season begins on the autumnal equinox in late September, but emotionally, it starts after Labor Day. Autumn is a great time for food: the last blast of summer veggies, like plump tomatoes, coincides with fall favorites: apples, pears, and all kinds of squashes.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Why You Should Eat Seasonally
- Enjoy more flavorful fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables that ripen on the stem develop a fuller taste than produce that has been picked early and shipped. Some exceptions are pears and avocados that are picked unripe.
- Get the maximum amount of vitamins and minerals. Likewise, the nutritional value of produce starts to diminish soon after it is picked. When you eat recently harvested food, you receive the full nutritional benefit of these goodies.
- Save money. Fresh fruits and vegetables, especially organic ones, can be pricey, but they will always be the least expensive when in season.
- Reduce your carbon footprint. Pumpkins purchased beside the field where they were grown did not take a ride on an interstate.
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Tips for Shopping for Fall Produce
Here are a few ideas to slip into your mental market basket.
- Visually inspect or if possible, pick up and feel for signs for freshness: You want to avoid anything that has bruises, soft spots, or wrinkled skin.
- Check out the websites and/or weekly circulars of your local stores. These can give you a great idea of what’s in season and on sale. Sign up for store alerts if you want.
- Visit local farmers’ markets. These markets often have the freshest seasonal produce!
- Buy in bulk for storage. If you find good deals on seasonal produce, consider buying in bulk. Many fall vegetables can be stored for weeks or even months when kept in a cool, dry place.
- Be flexible in your meal planning and recipe development. If a recipe normally calls for regular potatoes but you can’t find any, can you substitute sweet potatoes? May swap broccoli for cauliflower?
- Experiment with new varieties. Fall offers unique varieties of familiar produce. Try different types of squash or heirloom apples. You may find your new favorite fruit or veggie!
Image Credit: bhofack2/istockphoto.
Seasonal Fall Fruits
Of course, your climate will vary but overall, some of the most popular fruits in season for fall include the following. These are all great options for breakfast, a healthy afternoon snack, or a warm fruity dessert in the cool fall months.
- Apples
- Asian Pears
- Bell Peppers (yes, they’re fruit!) As well as varieties like Jalapeno
- Cranberries
- Dates
- Figs
- Grapes
- Persimmons
- Pears
- Pineapples
- Pumpkins
Image Credit: feelgoodfoodie.
Seasonal Fall Vegetables
Here are some of the best vegetables to get during the fall harvest. And whenever you’re in doubt on preparing these vegetables, so many of these can just be roasted in the oven!
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Brussel Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Carrots
- Celery
- Collard Greens
- Endive
- Fennel
- Green Beans, and Long Beans
- Ginger
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Parsnips
- Peas
- Potatoes (Including Sweet Potatoes)
- Radishes
- Spinach
- Turnips
- Winter squash, like Butternut and Acorn – technically fruits but treated like veggies
Fall is a great time to experiment with new fruits and vegetables at their peak of flavor. If you are looking for what produce is in season in your region, consult this cool app and website. And don’t forget to check out our other seasonal guides like the Winter Produce Guide,
Hope you’ve enjoyed this Seasonal Fall Fruits And Vegetables List. Feel free to share it with your friends!
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This article originally appeared on FeelGoodFoodie.net and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
About the Author
Yumna Jawad, who was born in Africa to Lebanese parents and moved to the US at 11 years old, is beloved by millions of fans globally on Instagram, TikTok, and her website, Feel Good Foodie for her unique, delicious, creative and easy recipes that often go viral on social media. She has grown her massive following from scratch the past decade and has recently founded a new culinary venture, Oath Oats, launched in November 2022. Yumna’s viral food trends have been featured by Live with Kelly & Ryan, The Today Show, Good Morning America, PEOPLE, Vogue, and the New York Times. A graduate from the University of Michigan Business School, she now lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her husband and two kids. Yumna’s parents are both Lebanese so she proudly features Lebanese, middle eastern and Ramadan recipes as part of her heritage. Her first cookbook, The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook, launched in May 2024 (Penguin) and is filled with over 100 approachable, unique and delicious “Middle Eastern meets Midwestern” recipes for the entire family. The cookbook hit the bestseller lists on Amazon, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly.
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