There is apple-solutely no natural snack as convenient, crunchy or sweet a treat as an apple. While you can find a variety of apples all year in a supermarket, late August/ early September marks the beginning of apple season. It’s a perfect time of year to pick apples if you have orchards nearby or get ideas for adding apples to your fall menu.
Good reasons to have a healthy appetite for apples are their health benefits, but the varieties and ways to enjoy keep you coming back for more. Apples are great for eating whole, sliced for snacks, diced and added to salads, baked or added to many dishes such as:
- Pairing up sweet and tart apples with a chicken or pork dish.
- Toss apples into a butternut squash soup for sweetness.
- Add to oatmeal with cinnamon.
- Dip in natural peanut butter or honey.
- Bake with a small amount of butter, cinnamon and sugar for a sweet treat.
Nutritionally speaking, eating one large apple provides:
- 20% of the recommended daily value of dietary fiber
- 8% Vitamin C
- 7% of daily potassium
With only 130 calories, no fat, no sodium and no cholesterol, there is no shortage of reasons to have a healthy appetite for apples.