How can you think of October and not think of pumpkins? We carve them, we use them as decoration, and you can even add them into your meals! The American Heart Association recommends eating eight or more fruit and vegetable servings every day, so try incorporating pumpkin into your diet this fall. Fresh foods are often less expensive during their harvest season.
Eating seasonally is actually a great way to save money and ensure you’re getting fresh and healthy produce. It doesn’t matter if you’re picking your pumpkins or buying it in a can!
Picking your perfect pumpkin can require a lot of work. Whether you have a green thumb and you’re growing them in your garden or you’re visiting a pumpkin patch, both can be a great form of exercise and can even help you de-stress. Once your pumpkin is picked, carving it can even get your heart beating quite a bit. A little work to enjoy your food never hurt anybody!
One great thing about eating pumpkin is the the endless possibilities of uses, so make sure you save those insides while carving! Roasted pumpkin seeds are a great snack in the fall. To make them even healthier, you can skip the salt and add spices instead. Nine out of ten Americans consume too much sodium and most meals don’t even require salt to be tasty!
You can also warm up this fall with pumpkin recipes like this Ginger-Pumpkin Bisque or Spicy Pumpkin Burrito. These recipes are packed with veggies that are great for your heart and will guarantee to be a big hit at the dinner table with all the flavors of fall!
Eating pumpkin has so many benefits and there is no better time to start adding it into your-heart healthy recipes than in October! What’s your favorite pumpkin recipe?