Here's What's in Season in September with a seasonal produce list you can use as a quick reference guide when you visit your favorite Farmers Market!
It's September and we have Labor Day weekend, back to school, and anticipation of the start of fall late in the month! Even though it's still warm here in Austin, Texas, Autumn is on the horizon and with it comes the opportunity for plenty of recipes with seasonal vegetables and September fruits. While farmers are transitioning their crops in the early fall season, you'll find plenty of delicious fruits and fresh vegetables. If you don't have a favorite market, here is a guide to Farmers' Markets in Austin.
Shopping in-season produce is a delicious way to support local farmers, the environment, and your health. Plus, it gives you a chance to try new and different fresh recipes using seasonal ingredients which vary depending on the time of year.
While some produce is available year-round, many nourishing and tasty fruits and vegetables are at peak season in the summertime.
As a dietitian, I love visiting the farmers market and getting intel from local farmers as to what's been harvested that week. This handy guide is perfect to bring to the market with you.
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Health Benefits of Seasonal Eating
Eating in-season fruits and vegetables where you live often means eating them right after they are harvested or picked. This allows them to ripen naturally on the plant until they are ready to eat which ensures peak flavor and nutrition. Freshly harvested fruits and vegetables are higher in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than those that have been transported or sitting on a grocery store shelf for a long time.
Seasonal food ensures you will get a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables! Each month brings new options that contain different vitamins and minerals and gives you nutritional diversity throughout the year
If you live in a place without access to seasonal produce, getting the nourishment you need comes first. Eating frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are a great way to add nutrition to your daily intake, too!
Benefits of Seasonal Eating on the Local Economy
Purchasing local food like fresh produce at peak season from your local farmers' market is a great way to support local farmers and food producers in your area. It also supports the local economy where you live! The money spent there is invested in other small businesses in the community.
Your best bet for seasonal eating is to shop at local farmers' markets. It will vary depending on the weather and environment where you live.
Environmental Benefits of Eating Seasonally
By eating seasonal fruit and veggies, you can decrease your carbon footprint. This is because the transportation process to get produce around the globe uses all different kind of vehicles from shipping trucks to boats. There is a large amount of gas and carbon emissions in the process of the transportation of food.
So without further ado, here is a list of What's in Season in September.
What's in Season in September in Texas
From root vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes to winter squash at the end of the month, there are plenty of flavors to play with in September! Here is your September Produce Guide:
- Apples (early varieties)
- Arugula
- Basil
- Beets
- Bok Choy
- Carrots
- Chard
- Collard Greens
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Fresh Figs
- Grapes (cotton candy grapes)
- Green Beans
- Leafy Greens
- Lemongrass
- Lettuce
- Melons
- Mint
- Okra
- Onions
- Parsley
- Pears
- Peas
- Peppers
- Potatoes
- Radish
- Squash (butternut, spaghetti, delicata, acorn, yellow summer squash, zucchini)
- Sweet Potatoes
- Thyme
- Tomatoes (including heirloom tomatoes)
- Turnips
Seasonal Recipes for September
September is an ideal time to visit the Farmers Market because there are so many options to create a healthy meal! It's the start of the fall months which means pear season, and you can still find some of the summer fruit in late August/early September. Here are some recipes that are my favorite ways to use fresh produce in September! Whether you are having a dinner party or are looking for tasty recipes that make a great addition to your weekly routine, I hope you enjoy these ideas!
Air Fryer Cinnamon Apples
These Air Fryer Apples with Cinnamon taste like eating apple pie filling! So if you go apple picking and have some extra apples, give these a try. Crisp apples with a little maple syrup for that perfect gooey caramelization. Read on for the best apples to use and how to make them in the oven if you don't have an air fryer. 😊
Dietitian Tip - Did you know that apples have a soluble fiber called pectin? Pectin not only keeps you full longer, but it also acts as a prebiotic and helps to support a healthy gut! These air fryer apples are a tasty way to incorporate apples into your diet!
Healthy Turkey Vegetable Chili
This quick & easy Turkey Vegetable Chili is serious comfort food for a cold winter day! It comes together in just one large pot or Dutch oven in 30 minutes and is packed with lean protein, tons of veggies, and different types of beans. It's a healthier alternative to traditional chili and one of my go-to recipes in the fall and winter months! 😊
Dietitian Tip - One of the best ways to ensure you'll eat your veggies is to make them taste great! And prepping a recipe in advance so it's ready to go when you are hungry is key. Make a big batch of this Turkey Veggie Chili so you have plenty leftover for lunch the next day - the flavor gets even better after a day or two!
Slow Cooker Chicken, Green Beans, and Potatoes
If you’re a fan of easy dinner recipes for busy weeknights, then this Slow Cooker Chicken with Green Beans and Potatoes might just be your new go-to! Juicy chicken, tender potatoes, and fresh green beans are dressed in a homemade marinade. A complete meal that the whole family will enjoy!
Dietitian Tip - One of the best ways to ensure you'll eat (and enjoy!) your vegetables is to make sure they taste great by choosing combinations that pair well together. And my secret weapon to convert any veggie hater into a lover is to add a great sauce or dressing. Making a homemade dressing that contains nutrient-rich ingredients like the marinade used in this Slow Cooker Chicken, Green Beans, and Potatoes is a double win: flavor + nutrition. 😊
Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad with Maple Dressing
This Beet and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese is a colorful and vibrant combination of flavor with sweet earthy beets, peppery arugula, and creamy goat cheese all topped with a simple homemade Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Dietitian Tip - One of the best ways to ensure you'll eat (and enjoy!) your vegetables is to make sure they taste great by choosing combinations that pair well together. And my secret weapon to convert any veggie-hater into a lover is to add a great sauce or dressing. Making a homemade dressing that contains nutrient-rich ingredients like the Maple Balsamic used in this Beet and Arugula Salad is a double win: flavor + nutrition. 😊
Butternut Squash Soup
It's officially soup season and this cozy Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger is the perfect recipe for colder months! Sweet squash is roasted on a sheet pan with carrots, apples, and aromatics and blended to perfection with ginger and fresh thyme to create the absolute best flavor. I hope you love this creamy butternut squash soup as much as I do!
Dietitian Tip - Butternut Squash Soup is a double win - it's delicious and so nutritious it can help you meet your daily needs! Just one cup of cubed butternut squash has 14% of your daily value of potassium, 11% of your daily value of fiber, 12% of your daily value magnesium and 48% of your daily value of Vitamin C!
In Conclusion
Using seasonal produce is a great way to nourish your body, protect the planet, and support local farmers and businesses in your community. In September in the North America, we are coming to the start of fall.
Whether you shop at local farmers' markets, local grocery stores, or online market, look for some of these fruits and vegetables that are in season in September and get in the kitchen to try out a new recipe! 😊
And remember, if you live in a place without access to seasonal produce, getting the nourishment you need comes first. Eating frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are a great way to add nutrition to your daily intake, too.
Related
Want more seasonal produce guides? Try these:
More Recipes
Want more recipes from a dietitian? Here are some you may enjoy!
References: Texas Real Food, Texas Farmers Market, Farm to Table TX, University of Maryland Medical System, Seasonal Food Guide, WebMD
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