Fall is very much here at this point, so we need to talk about the healthy must-have foods for Fall you need in your pantry and in your life. With autumn here, we see the color-changing leaves, the weather getting cooler, and of course, new seasonal foods popping up in every grocery store.
Today we want to talk a little bit about seasonal grocery shopping (and of course seasonal eating), and the perfect foods for fall especially if you’re following a ketogenic lifestyle or a low-carb lifestyle.
Why is it important to eat seasonal foods?
Even though we all like to eat blueberries year-round, the best time to eat them is shortly after harvest, which is usually during fall.
Seasonal food is produce that is purchased and consumed around the time that it’s harvested; when it’s in season. Eating seasonally has a lot of benefits, not only for our overall health but for the environment as well. Seasonal food is fresher, tastier, and more nutritious than food out of season.
Seasonal fruits and veggies produced on local farms are often fresher since they don’t require long distances for transport. This helps reduce the environmental impact plus, crops picked at their peak of ripeness are better-tasting and full of flavor. And, what’s more, it’s been proved that fruits and vegetables contain more nutrients when allowed to ripen naturally on their parent plant.
Buying local seasonal food also helps support local farms and maintains farmland and open space in your community. Local foods support the local economy as well and generate jobs which helps stimulate local economies and communities. You can also take advantage of buying locally since the local growers can tell you how the food was grown, who grew it, and overall a lot more personalized information about what you’re buying and consuming which is always interesting and fun.
Best foods for fall
Now that we’ve seen why it is important to eat seasonal foods and to purchase locally, let’s jump directly into the best foods for fall. Depending on where you live and the climate that you have, fall foods will appear sooner or a little later in supermarkets and stores. But generally, we can start seeing them in September. Throughout this month is when nature is transitioning from summer to fall and that’s when we start seeing major changes such as leaves changing their colors and falling down, the weather getting cooler, and, of course, pumpkins everywhere.
If you’re following a keto or low-carb lifestyle, we want to provide you with a guide to the best fruits and veggies you can buy this fall season. We want to go month by month, so you’ll know exactly what to buy and can prepare a menu to have an idea of what your meals will look like in the following weeks. Let’s see that list:- September: Bell peppers, blackberries, brussels sprouts, celeriac, cucumbers, eggplant, fennel, kale, okra, pumpkin, summer squash, turnips, and zucchini.
- October: Blackberries, broccoli, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, cabbage, celeriac, cucumbers, eggplant, fennel, kale, okra, pumpkin, and turnips.
- November: Broccoli, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, cabbage, celeriac, cucumbers, endive, fennel, kale, okra, pumpkin, turnips.
As you see, a few of these foods are in season for 3 months, so you can enjoy them during the whole season. However, there are some others that are only in season for a short period of time, and it is best to enjoy them then.
If you’re following a keto or low-carb lifestyle, it is best to avoid some fall staples to keep your body in ketosis. Foods like root vegetables (carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, yams, parsnips), hanging fruit ( apples, pomegranates, pears, figs), squash (pumpkin, butternut, acorn), or peppers (bell, poblano) are best to be avoided while on a high-fat low-carb diet since they’re high in carbohydrates and/or sugar.
Besides these high-carb options, there are also some products that you should eat in moderation when on a keto diet since they contain a few more carbs than ideal on keto, but they’re packed with brain-healthy compounds like flavonoids and fiber. Berries in general are a great example of these types of foods. Snacking them from time to time is perfect, just try not to eat them on a daily basis or too much at once.
Other fall foods
Aside from fruits and vegetables, which we all know are very important for optimal health, there are other foods and nutrients to keep in mind. These following groups of foods are not as seasonal as fruits and veggies however, we wanted to include them in the guide just as a reminder.
Protein
There are a lot of great sources of protein out there and we can’t forget about them. You can choose from red meat to seafood, to poultry.
Keep in mind that when selecting meat, always choose the highest quality you can reasonably afford. Try to pick grass-fed meat, wild-caught seafood, and pasture-raised pork, chicken, and eggs whenever possible.
When buying seafood you can choose to buy it fresh, frozen, or canned since all of them are going to work. Try to remember that when you’re buying canned fish you have to get a no-BPA can that is packed in olive oil instead of water.
Healthy Fats
As we know, healthy fats are an important staple for every lifestyle. Saturated fats like coconut oil and grass-fed butter are great options for cooking. However, oils like extra virgin olive oil are best reserved for unheated uses.
Don’t forget about nuts and seeds, since they make a great snack and they’re mainly high in fats. However, watch your nut intake because some of them also contain a lot of carbs. And last but not least, having a stash of Funky Fat Chocs packed with healthy fats to enjoy healthy, nutritious, and delicious chocolates at all times without being kicked out of ketosis, getting glucose spikes, or making you tired.
Keeping all that in mind, it’s time to bring in the cozy recipes, especially the Pumpkin spice hot chocolate. Turn on the oven, and start baking yummy but healthy treats. Don’t forget to check our 7 Low-carb favorites Fall Recipes.
Other articles you might enjoy:
Leave a comment
All comments are moderated before being published.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.