By DEVI SHASTRI
Winter is settling in across much of the U.S., erasing the freshness and vibrancy of months past.
But the chilly season doesn’t have to usher in weeks of lifeless, colorless dinner plates.
Dieticians and food experts say winter is a great time to experiment with your food, try out underappreciated seasonal produce and cook a healthy meal for loved ones.
“Embrace the cold, embrace the winter and appreciate the bounty,” said Kristen Rasmussen, a culinary dietician and chef who teaches at the University of California Berkeley.
Here are tips from nutrition experts on how to “winterize” your meals.
Any produce is good produce — fresh, frozen, canned or dried
Only 1 in 10 Americans eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables each day, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.
Staple fruits and vegetables are generally available year-around in the grocery store, but it’s also peak season for certain types of produce.
Citrus fruits are among those fresh in winter — lemons, limes, oranges and more. When it comes to root vegetables, pull sweet potatoes and pumpkin out of Thanksgiving deserts and into savory meals and snacks. Try out parsnips, beets and radishes, too.
And don’t forget those winter greens: Rasmussen recommends including more members of the chicory family like radicchio, escarole and endive. (These can be on the bitter side, so they might be an acquired taste.) You can also test out different types of kale and the leafy tops of root vegetables, like radish greens.
If fresh options are limited, experts say canned and frozen fruits and vegetables still have a lot of nutritional value, as long as you don’t overcook them. Also make sure they don’t have a lot of added salt or fat.
Dried fruits — think apricots, dates and raisins — and nuts are also great to bring into salads, bakes and more.
“Without a doubt, there’s a lot of nutritional benefit, even in dried (fruits),” said Linda Van Horn, a…
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