As the leaves change and the air grows crisp, fall brings an abundance of fresh, flavorful produce. The season offers a wide variety of ingredients that are perfect for cozy meals and autumnal celebrations. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or simply looking to enjoy the freshest flavors, learn how to pick, store and enjoy your fall favorites.
- Nothing says fall like pumpkins, butternut squash, and acorn squash. These vibrant, nutrient-rich vegetables are perfect for soups, casseroles, and even desserts.
- Choose squash that feels heavy for its size and has hard, blemish-free skin. Avoid squash with soft or cracked spots.
- Whole raw winter squash can typically last 1 to 2 months on a kitchen counter. However, storing squash in a cool pantry may help to keep it fresher longer.
- Get comfortable peeling and cutting squash! Or purchase ready-to-use purchase, cut up squash readily available in the produce department.
- This creamy and healthy Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Dip will impress friends and family the next time you entertain.
- This mellow Butternut Squash Soup is a great way to start off Fall dinner, or warm up on a chilly night. Make it ahead of time and reheat before serving.
- Try this Baked Acorn Squash stuffed with dried fruits and nuts. Loaded with nutrition and flavor, this dish won’t disappoint!
- Fall is prime time for leafy greens like kale, spinach, and Swiss chard. These nutrient-dense vegetables are packed with iron, calcium, and vitamins, making them a healthy addition to any meal. Enjoy them in salads, sautés, or blended into smoothies for a burst of green goodness.
- Select crisp kale, Swiss chard, and collard greens with no yellow edges.
- To keep greens crisp, store them in the fridge wrapped in a damp paper towel and place inside a plastic bag in the high-humidity crisper drawer.
- Click here for a quick review on How to Clean Greens and get ready to enjoy.
- Sautéed Kale never tasted so good. Spiced up with garlic and red pepper, this kale recipe will add a kick to any dinner.
- Turn an ordinary white pizza green! This Spinach Pizza recipe transforms a store-bought pizza crust with baby greens, white beans and garlic. Yum!
- Carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, and parsnips are just a few of the root vegetables that come into their own in fall. These hearty veggies are perfect for roasting, mashing, or adding to stews and soups. Rich in vitamins and minerals, root vegetables are an excellent way to boost your nutrient intake as the weather cools.
- Look for hard, smooth beets, carrots, and turnips with no cracks.
- Carrots, beets, parsnips, and radishes thrive in the refrigerator crisper drawer if kept unwashed and trimmed of leafy tops.
- Potatoes and onions should never be refrigerated, as cold air ruins their flavor and texture
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Beets make a colorful and healthy side dish. The beets are roasted separately so the sweet potatoes can keep their pretty orange color. Don’t be afraid of peeling a beet – it really is quite simple!
- Nothing says fall quite like a crisp, juicy apple. Whether you enjoy fresh, baked into pies, or simmered into applesauce, apples are a versatile fruit that adds a sweet, tangy flavor to any dish. Visit our produce section to discover a wide variety of apples including Honeycrisp, Gala, and Granny Smith, each offering a unique taste and texture. Don’t miss out on the Sugar Bee, Envy and Cosmic Crisp apples. They are delicious and offer a “crisp, snap away” feeling.
- Purchase firm smooth apples without soft spots.
- Store apples in a cool, dark place like your refrigerator crisper drawer to keep them fresh longer.
- Keep apples away from greens. Apples release a natural gas called ethylene which acts as a ripening agent and may wilt and turn greens yellow.
- Pears offer a sweet, juicy complement to fall’s savory dishes. Use them in salads, bake them into desserts, or enjoy fresh as a snack. Look for varieties like Bosc, Anjou, and Bartlett, each with its own unique flavor profile.
- Select firm fruit with no bruises or soft spots.
- Allow pears to ripen at room temperature, then refrigerate to extend their shelf life.
- Your whole family will enjoy this Pear, Arugula and Caramelized Onion Pizza. Whole wheat crust topped with arugula, pear, walnuts and blue cheese makes this a special dinner any night of the week.
- This Baked Pear recipe is heart healthy, yet decadent dessert.
McCaffrey’s produce department offers all the fresh, local items that we all love in the fall, from vibrant squash, hearty greens and rich root vegetables to juicy apples and crisp pears. Seasonal produce is readily available, loaded with nutrition, tastes great and costs less!
