Fall is awash in the reds and oranges of leaves making a fiery last stand against the chill invading the air. It’s swaddled in chunky sweaters, sustained on hearty fare, and warmed by more than a dash of pumpkin pie spice. Autumn also ushers in a bountiful harvest of fruits and vegetables that deserve a spot on your fall produce shopping list.
In the fall, a trip to the grocery store can quickly transform your cart into an overflowing cornucopia of seasonal delights. And if you wait all year for harvest season to hit, you might already be familiar with the abundance of autumnal options. The fall produce shopping guide below is for everyone else. It will help you take full advantage of this season’s best.
Fabulous fall fruits
Apples are the undisputed champions of the fall fruit harvest. The crisp treat—with its range of sweet, tangy, or tart flavors—plays many roles. It’s a snack. It’s a dunked or dipped dessert. It’s even the centerpiece of various fall activities.
You can pick, bob for, or just enjoy an amazing variety of apples throughout the fall. But they aren’t the only fruits that should fill up your fall produce shopping list. Here’s a few more to add:
- Cranberries
- Pears
- Pomegranates
- Grapes
- Kiwi
- Lemons
- Limes
- Mangos
Gourds, greens, and crunchy fall favorites
You can safely say goodbye to summer staples knowing there’s so much veggie goodness waiting for you in the fall. Cooler temperatures bring out the best in some garden favorites. While others (here’s lookin’ at you, tomatoes) simply can’t deal.
Pumpkin leaps to mind first, but there are plenty of gourds, greens, and cold-hearty vegetables that deserve consideration. Take, for instance, the delicious, nutrient-packed cruciferous vegetables—a fancy way to talk about members of the cabbage family—that bring crunch to your crudités. Here are some other enticing options that belong on any fall produce shopping guide:
- Butternut, acorn, spaghetti, and other winter squash
- Collard greens
- Kale
- Spinach
- Swiss Chard
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cauliflower
Roots, tubers, and aromatics for your fall produce shopping list
The dirt holds a few gems waiting to be unearthed before frost blankets the cold, hard ground. These treasures will bring joy and light to holiday gatherings. They’ll transform into hearty sides, create earthy foundations for warming dishes, and fill sizzling sheet pans ready for roasting.
Fall holds the mother lode of these staple foods of global cuisine. And here’s what you can expect in your local farmer’s market or produce section this season:
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes and yams
- Beets
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic
- Onions
- Wild mushrooms
- Parsnips
- Rutabagas
- Turnips
Recipes to put your fall produce to good use
Now you know what’s going on your fall produce shopping list. So what happens when you get back from the store? The incredible number of delicious ways to use your fall produce could boggle the mind.
Luckily, you can’t really go wrong with how you prepare this bevy of autumnal delights. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have a few favorites to share with Original and Plant-Based Whole30ers. Take a look at what you’ll be putting on your meal plans this fall:
Original & Plant-Based Whole30 Fall Recipes
Your parents were right—you should eat your veggies
Eating seasonally is a great way to increase the overall variety of vegetables on your plate. And variety isn’t just the spice of life. It’s been shown to be great for your overall health and wellness. It doesn’t hurt that seasonal eating means vegetables and fruits are enjoyed at peak flavor.
It’s a healthy, delicious approach to eating during your Whole30 or food freedom. But eating more vegetables—in peak season or not, organic or conventional, fresh or frozen—is the most important thing. So enjoy your fruits and veggies this fall, whether they made our list or not.
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