The close of summer is near, but before it ends, we still get to enjoy some of our favorite summer fruits and vegetables like watermelon, cantaloupe, tomatoes and sweet corn. And then September brings a new season filled with all of our Florida fall favorites!

Shopping seasonally can make your diet more healthy, add variety, and help you spend less at the store. Seasonal foods can be more healthy and nutrient dense since they are fresher and not picked green to allow for long shipping times. We often get stuck in food ruts eating the same foods, so choose seasonal fruits and vegetables to increase your variety. Plus, prices tend to be less when food is abundant, so buying produce in season when it is plentiful can help you save money at the store.

In September, take notice of some of Florida’s locally grown fruits and vegetables. Avocado, mushrooms, peanuts, grapefruit, guava, oranges, tangerines and starfruit (https:www.followfreshfromflorida.com/whats-in-season/) are some fruits and vegetables to note. Most of Florida’s fall and winter produce are rich in Vitamin C to help us stay healthy, and our harvest of root vegetables like potatoes can be added to soups and casseroles to keep us warm.

Seasonal Shopping Tips

1. Buy local when possible.
2. Visit a farmer’s market.
3. Try new foods.
4. Check the produce aisle at the grocery store.

Veggie-Stuffed Florida Mushrooms

Ingredients:
24 medium Florida mushrooms caps rinsed and stems removed
1 cup of zucchini finely diced
1 cup of onion diced
1/2 cup of radish chopped
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
1/2 cup fresh basil chopped
3 TBS of parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tsp ground pepper

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients, except mushrooms and mix well. Stuff mixture into mushrooms caps and place stuffed mushrooms on a large baking pan. Bake until mushrooms soften and mixture begins to brown, approx. 15 minutes.

https://www.followfreshfromflorida.com/recipes/veggie-stuffed-florida-mushrooms/

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