In October we are in FULL fall mode! While September produce still overlaps a lot with summer, October is when we see winter squash (including pumpkin!), apples, root veggies, and other cool weather crops fill up the farmers market. Let's dig into what's in season this month, and how to turn it into cozy, produce-forward meals!
Whether you're new to eating seasonally or a seasoned pro, Roots and Radishes is all about incorporating more seasonal produce into everyday life in ways that feel simple and doable.
And while it is nourishing for us, seasonal eating has an even bigger impact supporting local farmers and reducing our carbon footprint on the planet. And all it takes is a whole bunch of us doing it sometimes. Permission to be imperfect here 🙂
Seasonal eating should be approachable for busy home cooks, and the best way to get started is knowing what's in season and where to find it affordably and easily. That's what my seasonal produce guides are here for!
This October seasonal produce guide will walk you through October fruits and vegetables in season, plus tips for finding the freshest ingredients near you. That, plus easy, nourishing recipes to help use up your farmers market haul, CSA box, or seasonal grocery store finds. From crisp apples to hearty root veggies and winter squash, October produce is full of the cozy fall vibes we all want.
Jump to:
- What's in Season in October?
- Seasonal Recipes to Make In October
- Easy Apple Pear Crisp Recipe for Cozy Nights
- Apple Pie Yogurt Bowls
- Easy Apple Crisp with Oats (Made for Fall Baking!)
- Simple Sautéed Apples
- Almond Butter Apple Crisp
- Back-for-Seconds Italian Chopped Brussels Sprouts Salad (Vegetarian!)
- Maple Walnut Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Bright + Crunchy Healthy Vinegar Coleslaw (Meal Prep Friendly!)
- Eat Local Tip
- Creamy Thai Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk
- Comforting Pumpkin Pasta with Fresh Sage
- The Coziest Butternut Squash & Apple Soup for Chilly Nights
- 25-Minute Pumpkin Curry with Chickpeas (Thai-style!)
- Roasted Butternut Squash Made Easy (Cubes or Halves!)
- Easy Pumpkin Granola Recipe with Pumpkin Seeds
- Spelt Flour Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (So Moist & Cozy!)
- Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats (Cozy Fall Breakfast!)
- Simple Oven-Roasted Delicata Squash
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash (Quick, Roasty & Caramelized)
- Easy One-Pot Sweet Potato and Turkey Chili
- Comforting Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Easy Recipe!)
- Veggie Black Bean Tacos with Carrots + Lime
- Fast & Easy Oven Roasted Beets Without Foil
- Incredible Moroccan-Spiced Roasted Carrots with Tahini Sauce
- Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potatoes & Kale
- Healing Ginger Lime Chicken Noodle Soup
- Kale Potato and Onion Frittata
- Kale Salad with Feta and Pomegranate
- Kale Coleslaw With Ramen
- Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup with Kale
- Delicious Savory Crustless Kale Pie with Chickpea Flour
- How to Store October Produce
- Seasonal Eating Challenge!
- Easy Dinners for October
What's in Season in October?
In October, be sure to stock up on:
- Vegetables: beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, kale, potatoes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, winter squash (think butternut, delicata, acorn, kabocha, and spaghetti squash)
- Fruits: apples (this is peak season, so go crazy!), pears, grapes, persimmons, figs
- Herbs: thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley
Below are some recipe suggestions using some of this peak produce!
The CSA Way: When I signed up for my first CSA years ago, I learned about something called the "CSA Way". Simply put, it means eating and planning around seasonal produce first (i.e. what will I make with this butternut squash I bought at the farmers market?). It's a great way to make plants the center of your plate, and completely transformed the way I eat!
Seasonal Recipes to Make In October
Apples & Pears
At their peak October, so it's a great time to support local orchards with a weekend pick! Great for snacks, salads, crisps.
Easy Apple Pear Crisp Recipe for Cozy Nights
This easy apple pear crisp combines tart apples, sweet pears, and a buttery oat crumble for the perfect cozy dessert. Simple to make, and always a hit with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Apple Pie Yogurt Bowls
These nourishing apple pie yogurt bowls are perfect for starting your days with a protein-packed, healthy breakfast! With sautéed apples that taste like apple pie filling, these yogurt bowls taste festive and make the most of those fall and winter apples.
Easy Apple Crisp with Oats (Made for Fall Baking!)
This cozy apple crisp recipe strikes the balance between wholesome and indulgent, so it's the perfect cozy and sweet addition to your fall or holiday table! The oat topping creates an incredible texture atop saucy, cinnamon-spiked apples. YUM!
Simple Sautéed Apples
These simple sautéed apples taste like apple pie filling and can top anything your heart desires! Spoon warm over your morning oatmeal, pancakes, cakes, ice cream, or French toast. Or, serve chilled on top of yogurt or overnight oats.
Almond Butter Apple Crisp
A twist on classic apple crisp, this almond butter apple crisp is a healthier, real food dessert recipe with plenty of cinnamon, that'll make your house smell amazing. Almond butter, oats, and spelt flour give that topping some extra texture and heartiness.
Brussels Sprouts & Cabbage
These two brassica veggies are cool-weather champs. Shred for slaws or roast for crispy edges and sweet, nutty flavor. Great as easy and healthy sides!
Back-for-Seconds Italian Chopped Brussels Sprouts Salad (Vegetarian!)
This Italian chopped Brussels sprouts Salad is crunchy, tangy, and ready in 15 minutes! Shaved sprouts, olives, peperoncini, artichokes, red onion, and feta are tossed in a zesty brine dressing for the perfect no-fuss side.
Maple Walnut Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Maple walnut roasted Brussels sprouts are a simple, healthy, savory-sweet side dish to go with any meal. The Brussels sprouts get crispy and slightly caramelized from roasting at a high heat in the olive oil and maple syrup. YUM!
Bright + Crunchy Healthy Vinegar Coleslaw (Meal Prep Friendly!)
This vinegar-based, simple everyday coleslaw recipe is our absolute favorite! It's all-purpose, so it can be used as a stand-alone side or salad, or as a crunchy topping for tacos, BBQ, or any sandwich/wrap.
Eat Local Tip
If you have one accessible to you, head to your local co-op or farmers market, or sign up for a CSA (many farms even offer fall and winter ones!). Eating locally grown food is a basic, yet easy way to start building a more sustainable kitchen. If it's not possible or accessible, select seasonal produce from your usual grocery store based on this guide!
Winter Squash & Pumpkins
Squash is where the fall comfort is at! Roast up some delicata, blend butternut into soup, and stock up on canned pumpkin (often packed now) for fall baking projects.
Creamy Thai Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk
This Thai butternut squash soup is thick and creamy with red curry paste, fresh ginger, and coconut milk. It comes together easily in one pot for a weeknight win. So comforting for fall!
Comforting Pumpkin Pasta with Fresh Sage
This delicious and creamy pumpkin pasta recipe comes together in 25 minutes and is a warm, comforting, and nourishing meal for fall or winter dinners!
The Coziest Butternut Squash & Apple Soup for Chilly Nights
This creamy butternut squash and apple soup is cozy, lightly sweet, and full of fall flavor. Perfect for weeknights or as a simple holiday starter!
25-Minute Pumpkin Curry with Chickpeas (Thai-style!)
This easy Thai pumpkin curry recipe is cozy, creamy, and ready in just 25 minutes. Made with canned pumpkin, chickpeas, kale, and red curry paste, it's the perfect weeknight dinner. Serve it with rice or quinoa!
Roasted Butternut Squash Made Easy (Cubes or Halves!)
Roasted butternut squash is a delicious and nourishing fall staple for soups, butternut mash, side dishes, grain bowls, and salads! Learn how to roast butternut squash halves or cubes.
Easy Pumpkin Granola Recipe with Pumpkin Seeds
This easy pumpkin granola recipe has ALL the cozy fall vibes! Perfect for breakfast or a wholesome back-to-school snack, it's made with real pumpkin and packed with nourishing ingredients like oats, flax, quinoa, and pumpkin seeds. Top yogurt bowls or enjoy by the handful!
Spelt Flour Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (So Moist & Cozy!)
A super moist and wholesome fall treat, this pumpkin chocolate chip bread hits the spot every year! Enjoy as a snack with coffee, make it with your kids as a fun fall activity, or share with guests at holiday gatherings. YUM!
Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats (Cozy Fall Breakfast!)
These pumpkin overnight oats are a nourishing fall breakfast that taste like dessert! Since they can be made ahead, they're great for back-to-school season when mornings get busier.
Simple Oven-Roasted Delicata Squash
Roasted delicata squash is a healthy, simple, and elegant side dish that can be easily paired with a main meal or tossed into hearty grain bowls and salads.
Air Fryer Butternut Squash (Quick, Roasty & Caramelized)
This air fryer butternut squash recipe makes tender, caramelized cubes in 20 minutes. Perfect for healthy sides, bowls, salads, or meal prep!
Root Vegetables (Carrots, Beets, Sweet Potatoes)
Perfect for roasting, mashing, and tossing into soups and salads! Root veggies are hearty, weeknight-friendly, and bring some lovely color to the fall table.
Easy One-Pot Sweet Potato and Turkey Chili
A nourishing sweet potato turkey chili recipe that comes together easily! Perfect for keep it simple, cozy, and protein-packed any night of the week.
Comforting Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Easy Recipe!)
Easy roasted sweet potatoes that come together in 30 minutes using your oven! These are perfect as a simple side dish that the whole family will love, or a sweet and comforting add-in to your favorite salad, bowls, or tacos.
Veggie Black Bean Tacos with Carrots + Lime
Easy black bean tacos baked with carrots on a sheet pan! Done in about 30 minutes for an easy weeknight meal that will satisfy any taco craving.
Fast & Easy Oven Roasted Beets Without Foil
No foil required! Just tender, caramelized roasted beets that cook faster when halved, and peel easily after cooking (no more stained cutting boards!). Perfect for tossing into bowls, salads, or enjoying on their own.
Incredible Moroccan-Spiced Roasted Carrots with Tahini Sauce
These sweet, savory, flavor-packed Moroccan-spiced roasted carrots might just become your new favorite easy side dish. Roasted until caramelized and tossed with warm Moroccan spices like cinnamon and cumin, they're served drizzled with a simple, delicious tahini sauce. Perfect alongside your favorite protein or added to grain bowls!
Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potatoes & Kale
This black bean quinoa salad tastes delicious in cooler months and uses winter produce - kale, onion, and clementine. Cozy roasted sweet potatoes, punchy pickled red onion, salty feta, and a tangy cumin orange vinaigrette make this salad pop with flavor. Enjoy as a delicious meal prepped lunch or winter potluck dish!
Healing Ginger Lime Chicken Noodle Soup
A simple twist on the classic, this chicken noodle soup features ginger, garlic, lime, and cilantro for added flavor and health benefits. With brown rice noodles, this soup is also gluten-free!
Kale
Bitter on its own, kale transforms when cooked into a dish or massaged with a good vinaigrette.
Kale Potato and Onion Frittata
This kale, potato, and onion frittata is a creamy, cheesy, and healthy brunch option that can use the produce of the season. Frittatas are great for brunch or making ahead for protein-packed breakfasts or lunches. They're also great for an easy dinner!
Kale Salad with Feta and Pomegranate
This kale salad with feta and pomegranate is loaded with superfoods and other flavorful ingredients: sweet pomegranate arils, finely shredded kale, salty feta, red onion, salted maple butter almonds, and a simple homemade vinaigrette. Bring as a dish to pass over the holidays, or start the New Year with something healthy and fresh!
Kale Coleslaw With Ramen
A healthy kale slaw recipe that includes crunchy toasted ramen noodles, slivered almonds, sesame seeds, kale, and green onions. Tossed in a simple sesame soy vinaigrette with a hint of orange. It's also naturally vegan and gluten-free if you use gluten-free noodles (we LOVE this ramen by Lotus Foods!).
Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup with Kale
This easy chicken tortilla soup recipe is the perfect nourishing, warming, delicious soup for winter! Using canned pantry staples and winter-hardy kale helps include seasonal produce, while freshly pan-fried corn tortilla strips add the best flavor and keep this soup gluten free. Yum!
Delicious Savory Crustless Kale Pie with Chickpea Flour
A savory crustless kale pie recipe made with kale, caramelized onions, chickpea flour, feta and eggs. It's the perfect make-ahead meal for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or any meal of the day. And it's vegetarian!
How to Store October Produce
Storing produce the right way helps reduce food waste! Here are some tips for October fruits and veg.
- Apples - Store apples on a cool counter or shelf for up to two weeks, and place in your fridge crisper for longer term storage. Apples are an ethylene gas emitting fruit, which means they emit a gas that ripens surrounding produce more quickly. To keep your fruits and veggies from going bad too quickly, it's a good idea to store apples separately.
- Brussels sprouts & cabbage - Place Brussels sprouts in an open container covered with a damp cloth in the fridge. Cabbage can be left out on a counter for a few days, but for longer term storage, place it in the crisper. Outer leaves might wilt, which is totally normal. Just peel them off!
- Winter squash & pumpkin - Store your winter squash (including pumpkin) in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place with some air flow (such as a cool countertop). Winter squash can keep for a couple months if stored properly!
- Root vegetables - If your root veggies have greens attached, remove those before storing in the crisper drawer of your fridge (helps prevent dehydration). Place the roots in an open container with a damp cloth over the top. Root veggies greens can be stored separately and sautéed with butter, olive oil, salt, and garlic for a simple side.
- Sweet potatoes - Sweet potatoes don't like the cold, so keep these guys out of your fridge! A cool countertop at room temp is perfect.
Seasonal Eating Challenge!
Ready to start eating seasonally, or max out your CSA and garden produce? Try completing the challenge steps listed below to nourish yourself and the planet.
- Connect! Sign up for my newsletter and follow me on Instagram @rootsnradishes for more seasonal recipe guidance and inspiration.
- Farmers market field trip. Take one trip to a local farmers market or farm stand (better yet, combine it with social time with a friend or family!). A local co-op or grocery store with some local produce is okay too!
- Pick a veggie or fruit. Pick up one or more of the ingredients featured here.
- Make a new recipe. Make one of the recipes in this produce guide!
- Tell me about it! Let's be a community of seasonal eaters! Tag me on Instagram or email me 🙂 I want to hear about what you bought and what you made with it <3
Easy Dinners for October
October can be a busy month with kids in school, sports, and the holidays fast approaching. Here are some easy dinners you can make with some of the produce above as a side, or part of the dish!
Ready for November produce? Check out the November seasonal produce guide for what to make with November vegetables and fruits!
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