Everyone anticipates spring and summer for the delicious fruits and vegetables that become available, but there are also many wonderful foods that are harvested in the fall. Autumn is notorious for weekend trips to the pumpkin patch or apple orchards, and to get fruits and vegetables when they are most fresh.
Fruit often contains the seed of a plant, with the flesh providing the nutrition the seed will need to begin growing a new plant. This is why they are available in the spring. In the fall, however, is when root vegetables, beans and gourds tend to be ready for the table!
Here are some of the best fruits and vegetables that grow in the fall; all of which are popular in both October and November.
16 Tasty Fall Fruits and Vegetables
- Pumpkin – Pumpkins aren’t just for jack-o-lanterns and an excuse for a fall excursion to the local pumpkin patch. They are delicious when roasted or boiled and mashed, but first remove the seeds in the middle (they can be roasted and eaten, too, as a healthy snack). Add cinnamon, all spice, ginger and nutmeg to create that “pumpkin spice” flavor found in pumpkin pie and your latte!
- Butternut Squash – Butternut squash can be cut into pieces and roasted, or made into a hearty soup. Here’s an amazingly delicious vegetarian butternut squash soup. You can also simply scoop out the seeds, add a bit of butter and roast. This squash gives a rich, creamy flavor.
- Potatoes – Ah, the potato. You can do so many things, from hash to baked to mashed and, of course, French fries. Don’t forget to try different varieties, like red and purple potatoes.
- Zucchini – Another squash, zucchini is often served boiled, steamed or sautéed with pepper, onions and perhaps some garlic (another fall item). Also, with the right tools, you can turn zucchini into a carb-free pasta replacement. But best of all? Baked zucchini fries!
- Apples – Apples are one of the best fruits that grow in the fall. Like the potato, this popular October fruit offers so many ways to be prepared: pies, sauce, chutney, even raw! In the fall, nothing beats some hot apple cider accompanied with apple cider donuts. There are also many varieties, each with its own unique taste. Next time you go apple picking, be sure to try all of the varieties your orchard has to offer.
- Acorn Squash – This small, round squash is just as versatile as its larger cousins, and offers a light flavor that goes with anything.
- Spaghetti Squash – Roasted or baked, this squash is rather bland, which means you can add pesto or seasoning to taste. Like zucchini, it can be turned into a carb conscious pasta alternative. All you need to do is cut it in half, scrape out the seeds, drizzle with olive oil, season, and roast for 45 minutes. After it roasts, you can use a fork to scrape out long delicious pasta-like strands. (1)
- Cabbage – Red or green, cabbage offers many health benefits and a fresh crisp to salads. It can also be used baked or sautéed into foods as well.
- Pears – As with the apple, the pear offers several varieties which each offer their own flavors. Besides eating them on their own, there are many ways to use pears. You can grill them and put them on a burger, slice them up to add to a salad, or toss them in the blender with other fruits for a nice smoothie. (2)
- Brussels Sprouts – There are two kinds of people in the world, and some of them actually like Brussels sprouts! Steamed, roasted or sautéed with seasoning to taste, Brussels sprouts are packed with nutrients and actually taste a lot better than the reputation that precedes them.
- Carrots – A root vegetable, much like potatoes, carrots are great steamed, boiled, in stews, shredded and roasted. You can even eat carrot sticks raw.
- Sweet Potatoes/Yams – Like the potato, sweet potatoes can be cooked in so many ways, roasted, baked, mashed, boiled, steamed, you name it. They can be added to other foods or enjoyed alone. They have a sweeter taste than the potato and are more filling. A Thanksgiving favorite: sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows! They are also an excellent source of fiber. If you’re looking for a pulled barbecue sweet potato sandwich even carnivores love, then look no further. Check out these pulled sweet potato sandwiches.
- Turnips – Turnips are the most overlooked root vegetable! Many people don’t know what to do with turnips, but they are pretty versatile as well as high in vitamins B and C. Smaller turnips can be sliced into salad, while larger ones can be baked, boiled, steamed or sautéed. Turnips tend to go best with savory flavors. Due to their bitter taste, you should pair them with sweeter vegetables for a nice balance.
- Beets – Beets are a unique source of phytonutrients that offer significant nutritional value. They are especially great for liver health, but are very approachable at dinner time. They can be eaten raw, sliced into salad, boiled, steamed, blended into a smoothie, or baked into foods. Beware; they do tend to turn everything red, even urine!
- Persimmons – This “fruit of the Gods” is in season for a small window from the fall into early winter and has a mild pumpkin-like taste. They come in several varieties and can eaten plain, roasted, or added to a salad. (3)
- Cranberries – This fruit, which is most associated with November and Thanksgiving dinner, is great in a sauce, baked with apples into a crisp, or as a topping on chicken or turkey. (4)
Many of the squashes available this time of year can be mashed or chopped into a hash, where other seasonings and foods can be mixed in with them.