Staying Healthy in Colder Weather

It can be difficult in cold weather to avoid warming indulgences, so here are some suggestions to share with shoppers to help make sure their plates are full of fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables.

Let’s ride the momentum of New Years to eat healthy. We all know it can be difficult in cold weather to avoid warming indulgences, so here are some suggestions you can share with shoppers to help make sure their plates are full of fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables. Surprisingly to many, this time of year boasts some of the most hearty and delicious produce of all year round - so help your shoppers remember that winter boasts some great nutritious picks in produce. 

Most of us take for granted and forget how very lucky we are to be able to choose from a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables all year round; and in fact it doesn’t even seem like the produce section varies much from season to season. If we pause for a minute, make a conscious effort and take a closer look at what foods are in season, our meals will be fresher, more nutritious, flavorful, cost less, and on top of that when the season comes for your favorite fruit or vegetable you will truly enjoy and savor it at its best! 

Remind shoppers that choosing freshly harvested seasonal produce not only supports a healthy diet, but may also lessen some of the adverse global effects caused by packaging and shipping produce long distances.

As well as offering some great flavors, many cold weather vegetables are true nutritional stars – boosting immunity at a time when colds and flus are being passed around – so there is no better time to eat a diet rich in nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables, than now! 

Some vitamin C-rich winter fruits and vegetables include, blood oranges, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery root (celeriac), kale, passion fruit, persimmons, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, turnips, and winter squash. Vitamin C-rich foods help protect cells from free radical damage, help with vitamin E regeneration, improve iron absorption and some believe vitamin C may shorten the duration or help prevent colds. 

Much cold weather produce also serves up an excellent ‘dose’ of vitamin A, which functions to preserve and improve eyesight as well as help fight viral infections. Some of the best include: bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, collard greens, kale, passion fruit, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, and winter squash.

Try roasting root vegetables like, parsnips, sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, celeriac, and rutabaga with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Forty-five minutes later you will have a hearty, delicious, and outstandingly nutritious side dish or even main course for any winter meal.

Snack on apples, blood oranges, Clementine, grapefruits, passion fruits, pears, and red currants to taste the flavors and gain the nutritional benefits of winters best fruits. 

Use SupermarketGuru’s suggestions to share with shoppers, make a handy shopping list for your customers, and use singage to direct shoppers to the freshest seasonal picks!