October is here and do you know what that means? It’s apple season! October is National Apple Month and I can’t wait to go apple picking. There’s nothing like the taste of a fresh apple picked right off the tree! Yum! Some of my favorite snacks are apple slices with peanut butter (or other nut butters) or with slices of cheese. I also like to chop them up to add to a salad or to my oatmeal. Oh, and who doesn’t love treating themselves to an apple crisp or a slice of homemade apple pie once in a while (don’t forget the vanilla ice cream!).

In a recent survey about the fall season, we asked panel members what apple-flavored food or drink they like the most. Here are the top 5 responses:

Apple pie
Apple crisp
Apple cider
Apple cider donuts
Apple crumble

What’s your favorite apple-flavored food or drink? Let me know in the comment section below!

Apples Galore: Yours for the Picking

You can find a large assortment of apples in U.S. supermarkets, at farmer’s markets, farm stands, etc. The selection can be somewhat overwhelming at times, especially during the fall months. Many varieties can be enjoyed as a healthy snack, while others are best for cooking and baking.

Let’s take a look at some common varieties as shared by farmflavor.com:

Braeburn – Sweet and tart, remains firm after baking.
Granny Smith – Famous for holding their shape when cooked, they have the right amount of tartness to balance out sweet ingredients like sugar, honey and vanilla in baking recipes, making them the perfect choice for apple pie.
Red Delicious – Can be used for baking, but are best when freshly sliced and consumed raw.
Gala – Has what is called a striped or mottled skin, usually in a combination of orange and red. Can be sliced up to use in salads or to make applesauce.
Fuji – Super sweet and considered one of the sweetest and crispest varieties on the market today.
Honeycrisp – Crisp, sweet and juicy; can be used for baking or making a batch of fresh applesauce.
Pink Lady – Its firm skin and tart flavor make it great for cooking and baking.
Golden Delicious – Popular for eating raw, as well as for baking, thanks to its thin skin and mellow, sweet flavor.

Which of these varieties is your favorite (mine is Honeycrisp!)? Let me know in the comment section below – I love hearing from you!

An Apple a Day…

According to the Cleveland Clinic, apples have many health benefits. You get the most benefits when you eat them whole, raw and unpeeled. Here are some of the ways eating apples benefits your health:

Stabilizes blood sugar – When you eat foods that are high in fiber and lower in sugar, like apples, it keeps your glucose levels steady.
Lowers cholesterol – The antioxidants and fiber in apples help lower cholesterol. Apple contain a fiber called pectin, which binds to cholesterol in your digestive tract and flushes it out.
Reduces blood pressure – A small Australian study found eating apples helped lower blood pressure. Other research has had mixed results, but researchers agree that the antioxidants in apple peels help blood flow smoothly.
Eases inflammation – Apples contain anti-inflammatory substances — mainly fiber and quercetin which is an antioxidant that reduces inflammation, especially in your respiratory system.
Satisfies hunger longer – Apples are high in water and fiber, they and make for a filling snack.

Scanning Your Apple Purchases

Panel Members: Fruits and vegetables usually don’t have UPC barcodes. When buying apples, if there is no barcode to scan, use the Non-Barcoded Items list in the NCMobile app to report the purchase (or refer to the Barcode Reference Booklet if you use NCP’s handheld scanner).

Regards,

Taylor

Apple Pie

More From NCP:

Check out our fall blogs!

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