Summer is usually carried right into September here in the NW, though the hints of fall are unmistakeable. Crisp mornings, earlier evenings, and waving the children off to school are all signs that point us to the inevitable transition.
As much as we may want to hold onto it, we can’t help but admit that after a summer full of icy popsicles, lounging by the river, and late night barbecues, many of us are ready to don the warm sweaters, sit by the fire, and play in the leaves.
As one season closes, the next inevitably opens.
Mindfully enveloping this transition with conscious activity can be a wonderful way to shift into the new fall season.
My favorite way to do that as an Intuitive Nutritionist is, of course, through food.
Food is a tangible connection point to the Earth that we take part in every single day. It grounds us, nourishes our bodies, and energetically links us to the physical reality of our own body, as well as to the Earth body.
This makes food a natural mechanism through which we can ease our transition into a new season.
Here are 5 food-related ways to welcome the transition to fall…
- Relish in the Earth’s abundance. Traditionally, this is a time of year to harvest and store food. Most plants have reached their peak performance and are producing plentifully. Connecting with the plant life at this time, be it in your own garden or at a local farm, helps the body resonate with the energy of abundance that is within us all. Make pies, can tomatoes, freeze jam— all with a spirit of gratitude, knowing that interacting with the abundance now will allow you to carry it more greatly into the darkness of Winter.
- Use the sun-drenched plants and herbs that have full potency at the end of summer to prepare tonics and syrups to support the body’s immune function as we move into damper weather and increased germ sharing. Three favorite recipes are Elderberry Thyme Syrup, Fire Cider, and Lemon Raspberry Shrub.
- Despite the beginning of busy school/activity schedules, the energy of fall invites a slower rhythm. Accept the invitation by reflecting the rhythm of nature in your own life. Take extra time to rest, journal while letting a delicious tea fully steep, make foods that slowly simmer on the stove. A few fall favorites, include Warming Lentil Stew, Vegan Chili, and Curry Chicken Soup.
- While the transition to fall, in many ways, is reflected in nature as the end of the growth cycle, there are lots of plants that like to grow in the cooler weather. Planting a fall garden can be a wonderful way to continue to connect with the soil and direct offerings from the Earth. Fall gardens can be as simple as some kale in a garden pot! Some foods that do well through the initial frost here in the NW include broccoli, cabbage, mustard and turnips. Plants that can extend into (and often get better with!) frost, include, brussel sprouts, kale, parsnips, collards, and artichokes.
- Have a Fall Equinox party with a formal goodbye to summer and welcoming of fall. An equinox celebration can be as simple as acknowledging it as a distinct moment in time, perhaps with each member reflecting on their favorite moment of summer and their most anticipated part of fall, or it can be a more elaborate gathering with friends. Some favorite things to include in a celebration, of any kind, are to light a candle to acknowledge the light within the dark, make a gratitude list to honor life’s abundance, and release unnecessary items from the home to make space for peaceful rest. Any way you choose to celebrate, acknowledging the moment will help the body and mind attune to the new season.
