{"id":35874,"date":"2017-01-08T09:15:51","date_gmt":"2017-01-08T14:15:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=35874"},"modified":"2021-11-01T16:02:32","modified_gmt":"2021-11-01T20:02:32","slug":"cheap-winter-produce-buy-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/cheap-winter-produce-buy-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Cheap and Healthy Winter Produce to Buy Now"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/div>\n

This time of year, when comfort food<\/a>\u00a0is the standard fare, it can\u00a0feel like fruits and vegetables are scant. And while\u00a0the produce section at your grocery store is still packed with fresh options, the best ones to grab aren’t necessarily\u00a0your typical favorites. \u201cDon\u2019t only go for produce that\u2019s specifically harvested in the spring, summer or fall, like berries and bell peppers,\u201d advises Sara Haas<\/a>, R.D.N., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. \u201cMany fruits and vegetables peak during colder months and offer nutrients that are quite beneficial to your health.\u201d You\u2019ll also save money by choosing foods that are in season. Read on for our top picks of healthy winter produce, plus ways to cook and eat it to retain the most nutrients<\/a> possible.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong>\u00a07 Days of Clean Eating, Made Simple<\/a><\/p>\n

Cheap,\u00a0Healthy Winter Produce to Stock Up on Now<\/h3>\n
\"Root
Photo and Recipe: Perry Santanachote<\/a>\u00a0<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Turnips
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Many root veggies are in season in the winter, including parsnips and turnips. Turnips are a cruciferous vegetable, known for their high concentrations of vitamins, minerals and health-promoting carotenoids. They\u2019re also great sources of fiber<\/a>, folate, and vitamins C, E and K.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoot vegetables are typically pretty hardy, so it\u2019s perhaps more of a challenge to destroy some of its nutritional benefits with cooking,\u201d says Haas. She recommends adding them to soups and stews. When the veggies break down and release nutrients, they\u2019ll be leached right into the cooking liquid, so you\u2019ll still end up consuming them. Roasting them is another good option; toss them in olive oil first to help your body absorb their fat-soluble vitamins (like A, D, E and K). Or, combine the turnips with other root veggies in this Root Vegetable Salad with Miso Dressing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Fall
Photo and Recipe: Renee Blair<\/a>\u00a0<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Fennel
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You might tend to pass over this vegetable at the grocery store without thinking twice. It resembles a cross between a white onion and celery and tastes milder than licorice-flavored seeds. Fennel is a good source of vitamin C, potassium, fiber and folate.<\/p>\n

Haas recommends slicing and saut\u00e9ing it slowly over low heat until it\u2019s softened and slightly sweet; then add the caramelized fennel to a turkey burger<\/a> or steak. For a quick but impressive dish, you can also add raw slices to this Fall Cleanse Kale Salad Recipe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>10 Recipes to Satisfy Your Brussels Sprouts Obsession<\/a><\/p>\n

\"lemon-pepper-brussels-sprouts-recipe\"
Photo and Recipe: Allison \/ Some the Wiser<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3. Brussels Sprouts<\/h3>\n

You can find these veggies year-round, but their peak season is fall to mid-winter, which means they\u2019ll cost less in these colder months. They\u2019re an especially good source of vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants<\/a>, which are known to have many health benefits.<\/p>\n

Roast them with olive oil, salt and pepper to retain their nutrients and help you absorb the vitamin A. Or try roasting them with lemon slices so the veggies absorb the juice and drizzle with a little butter, like this Roasted Lemon Pepper Brussels Sprouts recipe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Collard
Photo and Recipe: Carmen Sturdy<\/a>\u00a0<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4. Dark Leafy Greens<\/h3>\n

The rich green color of kale <\/a>and other leafy greens, like Swiss chard and collard greens, are a hint that they\u2019re packed with antioxidants. They\u2019re also a nice alternative to dairy to get your calcium, says Haas, and are a good source of iron<\/a> and folate (which are both especially important for pregnant women).<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How to Know If You Have an Iron Deficiency<\/a><\/p>\n

For a nutrient-packed alternative to potato chips, Haas recommends coating the kale leaves with a little olive oil and baking them into kale chips. Sick of your usual salad? Toss the greens with feta cheese, pomegranate seeds, sliced almonds and balsamic vinaigrette. Or, saut\u00e9 them with cumin and add to tacos. We also love this\u00a0this Collard Greens, Quinoa and Chicken Burrito recipe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Photo and Recipe: Sarah Yates Mora \/ A House in the Hills<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

5. Citrus Fruits
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cCitrus is available year-round, but most of it is in season in the winter, depending on the climate where it\u2019s growing,\u201d says Haas. Despite what you\u2019d think some varieties are actually better in the winter<\/a>, she says, because this is the time when they\u2019re at their peak ripeness. Navel oranges, mandarin oranges and grapefruit are some of the most flavorful options during winter months. Stock up now for an extra boost of\u00a0vitamin C, as well as vitamin A and fiber.<\/p>\n

Eat ’em\u00a0on their own or try making this Kale and Blood Orange Salad<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Persimmon
Photo and Recipe: Renee Blair<\/a>\u00a0<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

6. Pomegranate
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This festive-colored fruit is in season from late fall to early winter and is a great source of antioxidants and phytonutrients like beta-carotene<\/a>, plus potassium and vitamin C.<\/p>\n

Eat the seeds plain or as a topping for low-fat yogurt<\/a>. Strain them into a juice and heat it to reduce it into a glaze for pork or poultry, suggests Haas. Or, sprinkle the seeds onto hearty hot cereals, like oatmeal or this Persimmon-Pomegranate Quinoa Breakfast Bowl<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You of course don\u2019t have to steer clear of produce that isn\u2019t technically in season, but Haas recommends shopping for those \u2014 berries, corn, green beans and peppers in particular \u2014 in the frozen section. They\u2019ll be less expensive than their fresh varieties and will possibly pack in more health benefits because, \u201cthey\u2019re typically harvested at their peak and frozen immediately to retain nutrients,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Originally posted January 2015. Updated January 2017.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Find out which fruits and vegetables are in season now. Then add the fresh (and cheap!) winter produce to your grocery list today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":35906,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7],"tags":[52,85,341,396,178,186],"class_list":["post-35874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","tag-fruit","tag-salad","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2womens-health","tag-vegetable","tag-winter"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35874","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35874"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35874\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35906"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}