Ah, autumn. Kids are back in school, football is in full swing and it seems like everyone has pumpkin spice latte functioning practically as an extension of our arms. It’s arguably the best season of the year, for those of us lucky enough to live in places where we see the seasons, leaves and temperatures change.

Fall is also a great time for delicious fruits and vegetables, coming into season just in time for your bountiful harvest. Food that is in-season not only tastes better, it has health benefits. As produce ages, it loses antioxidants, like Vitamin C, folate and carotenes. Buying food that’s in season benefits your wallet as well, with grocers jacking up prices on out-of-season food – good old fashioned supply and demand.

There are some fruits and vegetables that are considered to be “in season” all year – we like to focus on the produce that is in season just for a limited time. We’ve got a full list below, check it out and get these guys before their gone until next year.

(Source: Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture)

Veggies

• Bitter melon (Say what? You may not recognize this fruit used often in Asian cooking. Try it as a stir-fry.)
• Broccoli rabe (A favorite in Italian cooking. Try it sauteed with garlic and olive oil.)
• Brussels sprouts (We recommend trying Ina Garten’s Roasted Brussel Sprouts recipe. Simple & delicious!)
• Celeriac (Also called celery root, this ugly veggie has a flavor reminiscent of celery and parsley. Delicious with some apples as a soup.)
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Okra (Great in chili!)
• Parsnips (These guys are just begging you to make them into “fries.”)
• Peas
• Sweet Peppers (These versatile veggies are tasty in many ways. As the weather gets colder, we recommend trying out a soup.)
• Chile Peppers
• Radishes
• Rutabagas
• Sunchokes (Try them roasted!)
• Winter squash

Fruits

• Apples (Good on their own, great as a Healthy Apple Crumble for One. Stop reading and make this now.)
• Dates (Add them to salad!)
• Grapes
• Limes
• Olives (Finally, a perfectly valid excuse for a dirty martini tonight.)
• Pears (Slice ‘em up and wrap the slices with prosciutto and bleu cheese for an easy appetizer.)
• Persimmons (Make a persimmon simple syrup and try your hand at Sparkling Persimmon Margaritas.)
• Plums
• Pomegranates (Add pomegranate for a twist on traditional cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving.)
• Quince (This tough fruit is delicious as a chutney.)
• Raspberries

What are you picking up at the market this week?