Comfort Foods to Add to Your Plate This Season

Every season offers a new opportunity for you to refresh, renew and reevaluate your diet. Why not consider adding foods that are in-season to your daily meals?

Eating seasonal foods provides a variety of health benefits. It can improve your mood, protect against heart disease and support your immune system. As a bonus, you’ll find that seasonal produce tastes better and offers more nutritional value because it is fresh. This season, head straight for the produce section or your local farmer’s market to enjoy the bountiful harvest that the season provides.

4 Tasty Vegetables to Explore:

• Pumpkins – Of course! Try roasting the seeds with a sprinkling of salt for a quick on-the-go snack or preparing a puree to add more pumpkin to your life.
• Sweet Potatoes – This veggie is full of vitamins, rich in fiber and provides a tasty treat! You can make french fries, cube them with brown sugar, or use them for baking.
• Cauliflower – Although cauliflower can be enjoyed year-round, it reaches its peak this time of year. Try eating raw with your dip of choice, serving as a healthy side dish, or turning it into a low-carb pizza crust.
• Squash – In addition to being a great harvest decoration, yellow squash, butternut squash and gourds are delicious seasonal vegetables to add to your diet.

5 Delicious Fruits to Add to Your Foods List

• Cranberries – You don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to enjoy this super fruit. Cranberries can help improve your immune system and fend off urinary infections.
• Pears – Pears are the perfect addition to a crispy fall salad. Try eating them raw, making a delectable dessert like pies, tarts or crisps, or baking them in the oven with walnuts and honey.
• Pomegranates – Pomegranates are loaded with beneficial nutrients. The antioxidants in pomegranates can remove free radicals, protect cells from damage and reduces inflammation.

Make eating seasonally a fun experience! The Seasonal Food Guide is a comprehensive resource to check which foods are in season in New York during the year. Pick a few fruits and vegetables to try, test out some new recipes and make the conscious choice to live a healthier lifestyle, one meal at a time.

Explore a Healthy Lifestyle at Episcopal SeniorLife Communities

As you age, taking steps to improve your health and well-being become even more important. Episcopal SeniorLife Communities provides a continuum of care that offers you peace of mind well into the future. Our senior living communities in the Rochester area promote a healthy lifestyle with exercise, social interaction and nutritious eating options. Want to learn more about ESLC? We invite you to schedule a tour of one of our beautiful campuses by contacting us today.