It’s the Time of the Season
The summer is fabulous time to enjoy the bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables from your booming local farmer’s markets. But as the seasons begin to change and autumn starts to roll in, we also have to start welcoming the changing produce. Knowing what’s in season during the colder months is key and organizing and preparing your kitchen is extremely helpful in making that transition.
Keep it Local, Eat Seasonal
Because not of all us live in the perfect epicenter of an agricultural hub, make sure that you’re choosing the fruits and vegetables that are in season for your regional climate. Make sure to source out your local farmer’s markets to find the bulk of locally seasonal produce. This will ensure that the food you are eating hasn’t travelled thousands of miles before reaching your plate and that you will be getting the freshest product possible.
Seasonal Choices
Educate yourself on what is seasonal not only for this time of year, but also for your regional area.
Some of the biggest autumn contenders all around are:
- Apples
- Winter Squash – like Butternut Squash, Kabocha Squash, Spaghetti Squash, etc.
- Pumpkins
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Pears
- Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
- Sage, Anise, and Cinnamon
- Figs
- Brussel Sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Beans and Legumes – like Green Beans, Edamame, etc.
Stock Up on Fall Flavors
In the summer, your kitchen may have been constantly filled with seasonal summer favorites like tomatoes, lemons, and zucchini. So why not do the same for fall? Make sure your kitchen is stocked with cans of pumpkin and beans, frozen winter squash, and plenty of warm spices, that way you’ll be able to make fall goodies like pumping cookies and hot chili at a moment’s notice.
Get Ready
If you’ve got a properly prepared and organized kitchen, you’ll be able to whip up dozens of fall dishes without hesitations.
- De-clutter – No matter the size of your kitchen space, you should always optimize every inch in order to work efficiently. Sort through all of your kitchen tools and toss or donate anything you don’t use or need. You’ve got triple of the same measuring cups? Donate them! Do what you can to free up space.
- Organize – Create space categories for all of the items in your kitchen. Group items together based on use or type. For example, designate a space only for bakeware…Do the same for food by grouping items together by type, like canned goods, or by use, like breakfast items.
- Clean Out Your Pantry – Take a moment to rifle through your pantry, discarding any foods that have expired, gone bad, or have simply been sitting around just a little too long. You can also utilize this time to take inventory of what’s in and missing from your pantry. The more you’re aware of what you’ve got, the more money and hassle you’ll save yourself at the grocery store.
- Stock Up – After you make inventory of what you have and what you still need, hit up your local grocery store or farmer’s market and stock up on the autumn essentials we mentioned earlier. You can never have enough seasonal local produce! Now is also a good time to re-stock on all of your baking ingredients like flour and sugar…as the holidays roll around, it’s always good to be prepared for when you need to whip up some baked goods!
Got More Kitchen Tips for Fall? Share Them Below!
