Winter Vegetables & Fruit: The Best Seasonal Produce of the Colder Months

Winter Vegetables & Fruit: The Best Seasonal Produce of the Colder Months

TLDR

Here on ReelTalk, we’ve talked a lot about eating in-season. When winter hits, late-summer and early-fall produce are ready for harvest. However, there are also plenty of winter vegetables that thrive in gardens during the chillier months. Here’s everything you need to know about the best winter fruits and veggies!

Here on ReelTalk, we’ve talked a lot about eating in-season. When winter hits, late-summer and early-fall produce are ready for harvest. However, there are also plenty of winter vegetables that thrive in gardens during the chillier months.

Winter vegetables and fruits braving a frost.

Whether you want to shop for local produce or grow your own, seasonal eating breathes sustainability into your diet and life into the planet.

Here’s everything you need to know about the best winter fruits and veggies!

Winter Fruits & Vegetables to Buy

Buying in-season produce is a great way to cut back on food mileage and boost your green lifestyle. Furthermore, shopping at a nearby grocer or farmers’ market supports local agriculture and ensures farmers and laborers can afford to live.

Avocados

A fruit beloved by millions, avocados are rich in vitamins E and K, fiber, and potassium. They also contain high amounts of monounsaturated fats which support brain, joint, and skin health as well as healthy cholesterol levels.

Most recognizable in guacamole, the avocado wears many hats. It can act as a substitute for mayonnaise and it can also be the foundation for a scrumptious avocado ice cream — trust me, it’s amazing.

Kale

As a robust and cold-hardy plant, it takes a lot to harm kale. High amounts of vitamins A, K, and C, as well as calcium and potassium, make kale one of the most nutrient-dense greens around.

Enjoy kale in stews, soups, salads, and even on sandwiches. Like other winter vegetables, kale can boost nutritional value in any number of ways.

Citrus

Several types of citrus — specifically lemons, oranges, and limes — come into season as winter arrives. Mostly rich in vitamin C, citrus supports healthy immune function.

A glass of orange juice garnished with orange and lemon slices.

Citrus can be enjoyed in a multitude of ways; the majority of which have to with a beverage. Whether the namesake of a drink — like lemonade or orange juice — or garnishing the rim of a cocktail, oranges, lemons, and limes grace our glasses often.

Sweet Potatoes & Yams

Sweet potatoes are a popular Thanksgiving staple, which makes sense because they’re in season later on in the fall. Containing even more vitamin A than carrots, sweet potatoes promote eye health.

As a sweet potato fry, a pancake, or simply as a roasted side dish, sweet potatoes can take any meal from just alright to absolutely amazing.

Winter Vegetables to Grow in the Garden

Although the chillier winter months keep some of us inside, plenty of winter vegetables find the crisp weather delightful. Here are a few crops that will survive the coldest months of the year.

Collard Greens

As some of the hardiest veggies around, collard greens regularly withstand temperatures as low as 5°F. At the end of a cold winter, these winter vegetables are even tastier.

Paired with okra, mixed into a bowl of Southern spicy collard greens, or anything in between, collard greens bring deliciousness and vitamin A to any meal.

Green Onions

Green onions hold their own and are unfazed by freezing temperatures. Packed with vitamins A and K, green onions boast lots of flavor for few calories.

A bowl of ramen topped with winter vegetables.

Either scrambled into some eggs or sprinkled on top of a bowl of ramen, green onions are consistently tasty. However you prepare them, you won’t be disappointed.

Parsnips & Radishes

Loaded with potassium, vitamins, and fiber, parsnips and radishes keep multiple systems running smoothly. These winter vegetables are ripe once they’re crisp, firm, and unbendable.

Whether you eat them raw dipped in hummus or roast them with some garlic, both radishes and parsnips will leave you feeling satisfied.

The Best Cold-Loving Produce Around

Winter is an amazing time of year for produce. With so many nutritious fruits and veggies coming into season, winter dishes rarely lack in flavor. It’s also a time for cold-loving vegetables to thrive and become even more flavorful.

Whether you choose to grow or buy winter vegetables, you’ll end each meal astounded by taste and nutrition.

What’s your favorite winter vegetable? Let us know in the comments!

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