One minute you’re 22, and the next, you literally can’t eat a tomato grown after October.
It happens.
Bless the years we lived off Ramen Noodles and dollar meals but as we’ve grown to be adults, so have our pallets.
Learning to eat in season not only ensures the freshest, tastiest, and most nutritious ingredients but is also good for the environment.
Why Does Eating In Season Matter?
Eating in season allows for more locally-grown options, supporting local farms. It also means your food has to travel a shorter distance to land on your plate, which ensures freshness while reducing your carbon footprint.
Purchasing ingredients that aren’t in season requires unnatural growing methods like heating, grow lamps, and artificial chemicals to produce a harvest, all of which are hard on the environment, yuck.
Out-of-season foods are also sourced from other counties where that particular item is in season. Simply put, the further my ingredients have to travel, the less sustainable it is and the less fresh it will be.
What’s in Season This Fall?
There’s a reason we crave pumpkin and potatoes in the fall. It’s a part of eating what’s natural.
Where you live can affect what is in season. For a complete guide on what’s in season in your area, visit this season food guide that will show you what produce is in season each month in your state.
To give you a kickstart, here are a few general fall foods.
Fall Vegetables:
- Winter squash
- Sweet potatoes and yams
- Spinach
- Pumpkin
- Radishes
- Bell Peppers
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Green Beans
- Lettuce
Fall Fruits:
- Pears
- Apples
- Bananas
- Pineapples
- Cranberries
- Raspberries
- Grapes
Easy Cooking in Season Fall Inspired Recipes
I love a good crockpot, slow cooker, or instapot recipe. They are helpful for busy families all year round but are especially perfect for fall soups and stews. This is my favorite instapot. It’s an all-in-one kinda deal because it can be used as a rice cooker, pressure cooker, yogurt maker, and has a slow cooker option. This gal reduces the number of appliances I have lurking around my kitchen and makes meal prep quick and easy. I am all about a time saving hack.
Recipe 1: Pumpkin Turkey Chili
This Pumpkin Turkey Chili from Skinny Taste is a gem. I would never have thought of a pumpkin-based chili, but YUM. It’s easy and freezes well for those busy nights on the go. Check, and check!
Recipe 2: Cheesy Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potato
Baked sweet potatoes are one of my family’s fall favorites. Especially one with a hearty filling. This Cheesy Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potato meal is easy to prep and full of fall goodness. Bonus, it’s a meatless option full of protein and nutrients.
I’m always adding to my collection of delicious, in-season recipes. What are some of your favorite fall foods and recipes? Share them below.
Happy Fall Cooking!
the home sustainable 
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