The goal of WellSpan Health’s Market Basket of the Month program is to “to bring together the school cafeteria, classroom, home and community through a strategic effort to promote healthy habits for students.” For the next year, I will devote one blog per month to the produce of the month, sharing WellSpan’s literature while adding some other resources to encourage families to eat more fruits and veggies.
Apples are easy-to-grab locally grown snacks that are rich in nutrients and give the body energy for play! Photo credit: Seth Nenstiel
Have you heard the old adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? Apples are nutrient-rich fruits that are high in Vitamin C and other immune-boosting antioxidants, so eating apples regularly could in fact keep you from getting sick. Apples are free of sodium, fat and cholesterol and are considered “heart-healthy” food. The dietary fiber in apples helps prevent the bad cholesterol in other foods from being absorbed into the body. It also slows the release of the apple’s natural fruit sugars into the bloodstream, stabilizing blood sugar levels and decreasing hunger cravings. The B vitamins in apples are important for healthy metabolism. Apples are a great food for healthy weight management!
Apples are plentiful during the fall and into the early winter months. Pennsylvania hosts many apple orchards across the state, growing 26 varieties. York, Lancaster and Adams counties are among the top producers in the state and therefore buying locally grown apples is a simple as visiting a Farmer’s Market, an orchard farm stand, or shopping at the grocery store.
There are many creative ways to add apples to your daily diet. I prefer to eat an apple au naturale. What is easier than wash, dry and bite? I also enjoy adding chopped apples to green salads or mixing them into a savory quinoa dish. For the apples that are sort of soft, I shred the skin and apple and mix it into my hot oatmeal or sauté it in a little olive oil and toss it onto grilled chicken breast. Check out the unique recipes offered by the Pennsylvania Apple Marketing Program and Market Basket of the Month. Choosing low fat, low sugar options will provide the most health benefits!
Pennsylvania Apples Recipes
Market Basket of the Month Apple Family Recipe Newsletter
Market Basket of the Month Apple Fact Sheet
Market Basket of the Month Apple Serving Ideas
Market Basket of the Month Apple Activity Page
