Fall in Love with Fall Snacks

By Rebecca Jaspan, MPH, RD, CDN, CDCES

It is finally feeling like Fall in the Northeast.  The air is getting cold and crisp and the sweaters and ready to make their way out of the closet.  It also has me craving all the Fall flavors- pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, and more.  I love enjoying these flavors all day long, so I try incorporating them into easy and delicious snacks.

Fall foods are packed with nutrition as well.  Pumpkin and winter squashes are a great source of Vitamin A, an antioxidant that also helps the body fight infections.  The seeds of the pumpkin are also a nutrition powerhouse, containing healthy fats and magnesium, important for forming and maintaining healthy bones.  Warm Fall spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg contain antioxidants, help reduce blood pressure, and relieve digestive discomfort.  Lastly, fruits such as apples and pears in peak season during these months are a good source of fiber, specifically pectin, which nourishes bacteria in your gut.

Here are some of my favorite and fun Fall snacks you can enjoy all October and November long.

1. Butternut squash toast

We all have a can of pumpkin puree in our pantries, but have you ever tried butternut squash puree?  I love it in breads, as a pasta sauce, and yogurt as a twist on pumpkin.  And the leftover is a perfect, sweet spread for toast.  I like combining the puree with Greek yogurt, nuts, and seeds for protein and fat to create a simple and satisfying snack.

2. Apple chips with Greek yogurt and cinnamon

Have you gone apple picking and have so many apples you don’t know what to do with them all?  Try making apple chips for a sweet and crunchy snack paired with Greek yogurt.  They are so easy to make with just two ingredients.  First core your apples and slice them into very thin rounds, about 1/8 inch thick.  Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Bake them in a 200 degree oven for 1 to 1 ½ hours until the apples are crispy.  Add them to Greek yogurt or dip in peanut butter and sprinkle on more cinnamon!

3. Kettle corn, nuts, and M&Ms mix

The smell of kettle corn always reminds of going to the pumpkin patch as a kid.  And the sticky texture goes perfectly with crunchy nuts and chocolate.  I like to mix and match whatever I have around the house, from peanuts to pecans or cashews.  Don’t have M&Ms?  Any leftover Halloween candy goes great in this mix!

4. Baked pear with yogurt

Unpopular opinion: pears are better than apples.  And baked pears stuffed with creamy yogurt are the perfect Fall treat.  Cut a pear in half and scoop out the seeds.  Bake the halves in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, until they become soft.  Scoop vanilla yogurt into the center and top with granola, pumpkin seeds, or chocolate chips!

5. Chocolate chip pumpkin bread with peanut butter

Who doesn’t love a cinnamon-y pumpkin bread in the Fall?  I love baking multiple batches and keeping loaves in the freezer for easy breakfasts and snacks.  A slice alone usually doesn’t fill me, but adding a smear of peanut butter gives it more staying power for a filling and satisfying snack.