Family-Friendly Recipes Featuring Fall Produce

It can be easy to get stuck in a trap of cooking up the same go-to recipes year-round. When you find food that you and your family loves, why not make it all the time? Eventually, though, you might feel like you’re in a cooking rut.

If that’s you, the shift in seasons can signal a change in what you’re whipping up with your family. And that’s why we’re focusing on in-season produce. Why care about this? By using in-season produce, you can shop at your neighborhood farmer’s market and support your local economy and small businesses. Also, in-season produce purchased locally usually has a richer flavor as it’s in its peak of ripeness and hasn’t traveled thousands of miles to get to you.

Beyond that, eating seasonally is fun. It allows you to try new flavors and to introduce those flavors to your kids as well. Don’t be shy about striking up a conversation at the farmer’s market, ask the farmers about vegetables you’re unfamiliar with, and ask for creative cooking ideas.

Now that it’s fall, we’re here to help you brainstorm ways to incorporate the new in-season produce. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here is some produce that’s in-season in the fall: apples, pears, acorn squash, butternut squash, delicata squash (a personal favorite!), Brussels sprouts, figs, parsnips, sunchokes, pomegranate, and of course, pumpkin.

With this list in mind, here are some unique recipes to inspire new ways to cook with fall produce.