If you’re like many of the clients I’m talking to currently, you have mixed feelings about the days getting shorter and winter coming. Sure, there is excitement about upcoming holidays and celebrations, but perhaps also a bit of sadness as you realize that any after dinner walks will have to be done in the cold and dark. The lighter foods we eat and gravitate toward in the warmer months are now being replaced by heavier foods because it is our bodies natural instinct to store fat when we enter the winter months.
Thankfully, you can still maintain your wellness goals as the season changes as fall foods provide nourishment and sustenance in a way that only comfort food can. First some tips to eat healthy during the autumn season:
- Consume Citrus fruits, plus bananas, pineapples and avocados contain Vitamin C, a must during cold season.
- Incorporate fall spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and turmeric into healthier recipes. Studies show that certain spices may boost metabolism and help you feel more satisfied after a meal.
- Stay away from refined white flour and white rice. Brown rice, whole wheat flour, wild rice, bulgur wheat and barley are some tasty, filling alternatives.
- Focus on lean proteins. While meats like beef and sausage are popular during the colder months, try to eat them sparingly, and enjoy a roast chicken or some turkey breast instead.
- Try some health food staple winter greens. Kale is one, plus Swiss chard, collards, mustard greens and beet greens. These are great in soups and stews.
- Snack on nuts as they contain healthy fat, and they’re a cold-season favorite. Try some pecans, almonds or walnuts.
There are few things more soothing and warming than tomato soup. But you don’t have to eat it in a bowl. If you have an event that takes you away from home, why not put the soup into an insulated to-go mug, just like you would coffee. This is a trick I teach to many professionals, like therapists and teachers, that can’t step away during their work day for a quick bite. No one will know you aren’t drinking coffee out of that mug! This tip works great for kids at outdoor sports practices as well.
If you’re looking for a meal, there is nothing better than the Roasted Chicken and Veggie Soup recipe from Danielle Walker. She uses leftover chicken (you can also use rotisserie chicken if you don’t have leftovers) mixed with carrots, butternut squash, sweet potato, seasonings, and spinach to create a “fill the cracks” type of meal. For extra omega-3’s (that are good for your mental health), consider serving this soup with a side of flax seed crackers such as Flackers.
Don’t feel the same type of nostalgia for soup? Consider a special fall blend of tea. If you’re a loose leaf tea lover, there is nothing better than Mountain Rose Herbs Orange Spice Tea and Apple Spice Tea. These blends are full of warming spices like cloves and cinnamon that have anti-inflammatory properties. If you’re not into the work that a loose leaf tea brings, check out Rishi’s Tangerine Ginger, which comes in sachets that are ready to steep. This blend includes roots, fruits and herbs including anti-inflammatories like ginger and hibiscus, but also adaptogens like licorice that can help support your stress response.
Whatever type of fall food you like, be sure to take the time to enjoy it this season!
Meg Bowman MS CNS LDN
Nutrition Hive
