Healthy Foods to Stock for Fall

Cozy temps, cozier food. Fill your home with healthy foods that will fill your belly and nourish your body, no matter how many you're hosting this holiday season.

FOODKITCHENTEABEVERAGESFALL

11/26/20254 min read

Fall is here–and a little late to Arizona, as usual! The weather is cooler. The holidays are coming. And so is flu season, but we've already got a plan for that. It's time to get cozy with home and family, and set goals for the next year.

Maybe you celebrate Thanksgiving, or Advent along with Christmas, or just have a few gatherings to plan. Or maybe you just want to cuddle up at home with some hot apple cider and a good book.

However you celebrate this coming season, it's important to keep your pantry stocked with healthy food for good meals in between the busyness. Decide which staples and items are most important to you, and spend this chilly season giving the gift of delicious home-cooked meals with simplicity in mind.

Beans

Dry or canned beans make for a hearty addition to any meal. They are packed with protein and fiber, and they're especially easy to add to any crock pot recipe like chili. They're also a worthy topping for Taco Tuesday, and an easy way to make a soup last all week!

Rice

Seeing that rice is a staple food for over half of the world, it’s good to have on hand. White rice is among the cheapest, but if you’re looking for more nutritious options, reach for jasmine, brown, or wild rice. Not only will they add more flavor and depth to your dishes, but they will also provide you with more protein and carbs to keep you filled. Enjoy plain with butter and salt, or flavored as a great filling side dish.

Flour

Flour can be used to make baked goods, gravy, and breading. If you’re looking for health-conscious options, try unbleached flour, or even a different type of flour like whole wheat, spelt, or buckwheat. Some flours are great for the gluten-free! ‘Tis the season for baking breads, muffins, pies, and other cozy desserts!

Honey

Honey in its raw form has many health benefits, especially when paired with other spices and herbs. It’s full of gut-friendly microbes that support your body’s immune system, and it’s absolutely delicious for spreading on bread or enjoying by the spoonful! Add it to tea as a healthy sweetener, or substitute sugar for honey in your baking. It’s versatile and delicious.

Cinnamon

What does fall smell like? Cinnamon! This season’s food requires it. From apple cider to cinnamon bread, cinnamon adds that sweet, nostalgic joy to any sweet dish. You can also simmer some ground cinnamon or cinnamon essential oil with water to bring fall to every room in the house. This lovely spice pairs well with nutmeg and allspice in a lot of recipes. Experiment and see what you like best in your fall favorites!

Apples

Apples are back in season, just in time for cider and pie! Chop and freeze a bag of apples ahead of time so you can use them on the fly. Other cozy uses for apples include homemade applesauce, which just includes mashing cooked apples and adding cinnamon and sweetener, if you like.

Tea

Elderberry, ginger, and turmeric teas are all great, but if you're a tea drinker, you have a go-to. Make sure you keep around a box or two so you can stay warm in the cold weather and share your favorite tea with friends and family! If you’re not a fan of tea, you’ll probably reach for coffee, hot chocolate, or apple cider instead. That’s okay, but just know that you’re missing out! My favorite tea is ginger tea. Good digestion support, with a little spice! Perfect for the colder months.

Sugar

If you’re a baker, stock up on some organic cane sugar to keep the goodies flowing! Try to avoid refined white sugar, as it has been bleached and over-processed. If you need brown sugar, all you have to do is mix your regular sugar and dark or blackstrap molasses together in your mixer at a ratio of 1 cup of sugar to 1 TBSP of molasses. Once you realize how easy it is, you’ll never buy brown sugar again!

Conclusion

Having the means to cook for your family and friends during the holidays is priceless. But there is an even wider circle that you can serve with your surplus goods. If you’re able, you have the opportunity to share what you have with others outside your family, or even complete strangers. There are needs all around your community–find them and meet them! Maybe your church has a meal ministry or your local food bank needs some donations or volunteers. It's Christlike and kind to meet needs that others have as you are able.

James 2:14-17 says: “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

There's no place like home for the holidays. Whether you're hosting or just enjoying the season's new spread, you can stock up on healthy staples to keep your family fed and cozy through spring. What are some pantry food items you can't live without?

Sources

Nutrition Advance
Celiac.com

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