Having awell-stocked pantryis ideal formeal prepand when you need to whip up aquick, last-minute mealwithout sacrificing nutrition. As the weather gets cooler and you start craving fall flavors, these five ingredients arepantry must-haves. Not only are they packed with nutrients, but they can also upgrade classic autumn dishes with their versatile flavor and texture.
Low in calories (52 calories per 1/2 cup or 125g) and rich in vitamin C, applesauce makes a great fall snack on its own or paired with yogurt or oatmeal. It’s also a great way toadd natural sweetness to baked goodsto cut back on added sugar, and it can be a replacement for wet ingredients like oil and eggs. You can also try it inmarinades for your favorite proteinor as a healthier topping for desserts instead of less nutritious options like sugar or whipped cream.
Pro tip: Opt for unsweetened applesauce to save onadded sugars, and know you can always add your own sweetener if needed.
Thesebudget-friendly, nutritious pulsescook quickly and are great for time-saving meals. Beans are a greatplant-based source of protein, fiber, zinc, copper and iron.
Adding beans to afall pasta dish, tossing them on anautumn salad, stuffing them inspaghetti squash boatsor using them in fallsoups, stews and chiliesare great ways to enhance variety in your diet.
Maple syrup is anatural sweetenerthat comes from maple trees and containsminerals and antioxidants, including calcium, potassium, iron, zinc and manganese. It’slow on the glycemic index, making it a great source of prolonged energy. This is one reason it’s becomepopular among endurance athleteslooking to fuel with whole, natural foods over processed gels. Moreover, since maple pairs well with classic fall flavors, like pumpkin, nutmeg, apple and pear, it’s delicious inbaked goods, as aglaze for salmonorBrussels sproutsor to toppancakesand add sweetness tosavory chilies.
Almonds aren’t the onlypowerhouse nut. Pecans are wonderful to keep stocked in the fall months and a 1-ounce serving contains less than 200 calories, nearly 3 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein and 20 grams ofhealthy fat(The majority is unsaturated fat.) Pecans are also full ofphytonutrients, includingflavonoids, which can help fight inflammation.
They add crunch and a buttery, nutty flavor to dishes like salads, oatmeal andbaked goods. Enjoy them on their own as a snack, make acrust for salmon, or add them topancakes.
While you can buy pumpkin puree year-round, there is a heightened excitement during the fall when pumpkin comes into season. Pumpkin puree is high in vitamin A, C, several B-vitamins andgut-friendly fiber. A 1/2-cup (123g) serving offers nearly 3.5 grams of fiber for just 40 calories.
Add it tosoups and stews,baked goods,smoothies,oatmealandyogurt, or you can even try it on its own.
Discover hundreds of healthy fall recipes — from high protein to low carb — via“Recipe Discovery”in the MyFitnessPal app.
