This Chopped Fall Salad is a fun and fresh way to get a nourishing meal in during the fall. Made with fresh, in-season vegetables, you’ll get the full power of each ingredient and get a delicious feel-good salad that tastes just as good.
If you’re not a salad fan, you’re about to become one. There’s a reason Sweetgreen rose to the level of fame that it did; salads are fun when you get to customize them and they taste phenomenal when you follow what’s in season.
This delicious Chopped Fall Salad is made completely from in-season produce, which means all the ingredients are ten times better for you – and ten times more delicious!
This salad includes romaine hearts, apples, sweet potatoes, red onions, walnuts, and cranberries, which are only a fraction of the wholesome ingredients that are perfect to use in the fall.
All you have to do is chop each of the ingredients and pair it with your favorite store-bought or homemade dressing. With the exception of sweet potatoes, everything can be eaten rinsed and chopped!
Raw sweet potato would not be as fun in this recipe, so I like to toss it in olive oil, salt, pepper, and cinnamon and air fry it for 20 minutes before adding it in.
Other add-ins you could try include kale, feta cheese, pecans, and more. You can really get creative with this recipe.
What I love most about it is that it is so simple to make, but it is also a fantastic recipe to use for meal prep. You can chop all your ingredients ahead of time for easy assembly later in the week or pre-assemble your salad in Tupperware to eat throughout the week.
However, if you do this, I recommend keeping the chicken (or whatever protein you choose to use), apples, and sweet potatoes separate until ready to eat. You can also easily add some quinoa or wild rice to this dish to make it more filling as a meal if you desire.
What is seasonal eating?
Seasonal eating means eating fruits and vegetables that are in season and locally grown, which often results in them being fresher, more flavorful, and more nutritious.
This method of consuming food not only makes you naturally more mindful of your eating habits, but it’s also a way to support local farmers and reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting produce from far-away locations, which is often the case with large supermarkets.
I am a big fan of seasonal eating because it encourages me to have a healthy relationship with food and my body! One of the reasons I started this food blog was because of my own journey with my health.
Food was one of the things that brought me back to myself and I realized that food can be medicine! Seasonal eating is one of the ways to use food to fuel you.
There are several benefits to eating seasonally:
Seasonal produce is often picked at its peak ripeness, which means it is fresher and has a better flavor compared to produce that has been shipped from far away.
Ingredients tend to be more nutritious because it is harvested when it is fully mature and has had time to develop their full value in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
When foods are in season, they are typically less expensive because it is abundant and easier to grow and harvest in the local climate. (Win-win!)
Eating seasonally helps reduce the carbon footprint associated with shipping produce from other countries or regions. It also supports local farmers and helps to preserve local food systems.
Overall, seasonal eating is a healthy, sustainable, and delicious way to eat that can benefit both your health and the environment, which is why this Chopped Fall Salad is such a great meal option.
During the fall season (September to November), some of the produce that is in season include:
Apples
Pears
Grapes
Pumpkins
Squash (such as acorn, butternut, and spaghetti)
Sweet potatoes
Parsnips
Turnips
Beets
Carrots
Brussel sprouts
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Kale
Collard greens
You can pick and choose from this list any time you make this Chopped Fall Salad to incorporate more seasonal ingredients. You’ll also find other seasonal meals on my blog to help you explore seasonal eating, such as my Garden Fresh Roasted Tomato Topper or Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.
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