6 Fall Foods in Massachusetts That Can Support Your Fertility Journey
There is something special about fall in Massachusetts. Between apple picking, visiting local farm stands, and making cozy meals at home, autumn offers so many opportunities to enjoy fresh, locally grown foods.
But did you know that some of your favorite fall foods also provide nutrients that play important roles in reproductive health?
If you are trying to conceive (TTC), you may be wondering what you should eat to support your fertility. The good news is that you do not need an expensive supplement routine or a complicated fertility diet to start nourishing your body. Building balanced meals with a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and protein is a great place to begin.
As a registered dietitian specializing in fertility and preconception nutrition, I love helping women find simple, realistic ways to support their health while trying to conceive. And what better place to start than with the foods growing right here in Massachusetts?
Let's explore six seasonal foods to add to your fall grocery list and how their nutrients can support your preconception health.
1. Apples: A Simple Source of Antioxidants
October is peak apple season in Massachusetts, making it the perfect time to visit a local orchard or stock up at your neighborhood farm stand.
Apples provide fiber, vitamin C, and plant compounds with antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help protect cells from oxidative stress, which occurs when there is an imbalance between potentially damaging molecules and the body's protective defenses.
Why does this matter for fertility? Oxidative stress is one of several factors being studied in reproductive health, including egg and sperm health. While eating apples has not been shown to directly improve fertility, including a variety of antioxidant-rich foods is a simple way to support overall health.
How to enjoy them:
Slice an apple and pair it with peanut butter for a balanced snack.
Add chopped apples to oatmeal with walnuts and cinnamon.
Roast apples with cinnamon for a naturally sweet dessert.
Toss apple slices into a fall salad with leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, and olive oil dressing.
Dietitian tip: Pairing fruit with a source of protein or healthy fat can make snacks more satisfying and help keep your blood sugar steady between meals.
2. Winter Squash: A Source of Beta-Carotene
Butternut, acorn, and other winter squash varieties are fall staples throughout New England. They are versatile, affordable, and easy to incorporate into meals.
Orange-fleshed squash provides beta-carotene, a plant pigment that your body can convert into vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for normal reproductive function, cell growth, and early development.
It is important to distinguish between vitamin A from food and certain high-dose supplements. If you are trying to conceive, avoid taking extra vitamin A in the form of retinol unless specifically recommended by your healthcare professional, as excessive preformed vitamin A can be harmful during pregnancy.
How to enjoy it:
Roast cubed butternut squash with olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.
Make a creamy butternut squash soup and pair it with a white bean sandwich.
Stuff acorn squash with quinoa, lentils, and sautéed vegetables.
Add roasted squash to a grain bowl with chicken, chickpeas, or tofu.
Dietitian tip: Build a balanced meal by pairing squash with protein, such as lentils, beans, chicken, or fish, and a source of healthy fat.
3. Kale and Leafy Greens: Important for Folate
Cooler weather makes fall a great time to enjoy leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and Swiss chard, which are available from many Massachusetts farms during the autumn harvest.
These vegetables provide folate, a B vitamin that is essential for DNA synthesis and cell division. Folate is especially important before and during early pregnancy because it supports the development of the baby's neural tube, which forms the brain and spinal cord.
Although folate is found naturally in foods, anyone who could become pregnant should also pay attention to folic acid intake. The CDC recommends 400 micrograms of folic acid daily for people who could become pregnant to help prevent neural tube defects. Your individual needs may differ based on your medical history.
How to enjoy them:
Sauté kale with garlic and olive oil as a dinner side.
Add spinach to eggs, omelets, or smoothies.
Make a hearty fall salad with kale, roasted squash, chickpeas, and pumpkin seeds.
Stir spinach into soups, pasta dishes, or lentil stews.
Dietitian tip: Don't worry about eating a salad every day to get your greens. Cooked vegetables count, too! Find the options you enjoy and make them part of your regular routine.
4. Beets: A Colorful Addition to Your Plate
Beets are another seasonal vegetable that can be found at Massachusetts farm stands during the fall.
Their deep red color comes from natural plant pigments called betalains. Beets also provide folate, fiber, and potassium.
Folate supports normal cell division, while fiber contributes to digestive health. Beets also contain naturally occurring nitrates, which the body can convert into nitric oxide, a compound involved in blood vessel function.
These are valuable nutritional qualities, but there is not enough evidence to say that eating beets improves ovulation, egg quality, implantation, or your chances of getting pregnant.
How to enjoy them:
Roast beets with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Add them to a salad with goat cheese, walnuts, and arugula.
Blend cooked beets into a smoothie with berries and yogurt.
Grate raw beets into a slaw with carrots and lemon dressing.
Dietitian tip: If you are new to beets, try roasting them. Roasting brings out their natural sweetness and makes them a delicious addition to grain bowls and salads.
5. Brussels Sprouts: Fiber, Folate, and Vitamin C
Brussels sprouts are a fall favorite for good reason. These cruciferous vegetables provide fiber, folate, vitamin C, and other beneficial plant compounds.
Vitamin C helps protect cells from oxidative damage and supports collagen formation and iron absorption. That last benefit is especially helpful when you pair Brussels sprouts with plant-based sources of iron, such as lentils, beans, and pumpkin seeds.
Iron is important for making hemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout the body. Meeting your iron needs is an important part of preparing for pregnancy, although eating more iron does not automatically improve fertility if your iron status is already adequate.
How to enjoy them:
Roast Brussels sprouts with olive oil, garlic, and black pepper.
Toss them with roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas.
Shred them into a salad with apples, walnuts, and a lemon vinaigrette.
Serve them alongside salmon, chicken, tofu, or another protein source.
Dietitian tip: Try roasting Brussels sprouts at a high temperature until the edges are golden and crispy. A little olive oil, salt, and pepper can go a long way!
6. Pumpkin Seeds: A Source of Zinc, Iron, and Healthy Fats
Pumpkins are everywhere in Massachusetts during October, but don't forget about the seeds!
Pumpkin seeds are a convenient source of zinc, iron, magnesium, protein, and unsaturated fats. Zinc is involved in many processes related to reproduction, including normal cell division and reproductive function. Adequate zinc is important for both female and male reproductive health.
Pumpkin seeds also offer a plant-based source of iron, which is particularly useful for people following vegetarian or mostly plant-based diets.
As with other fertility nutrients, the goal is to meet your needs rather than assume that consuming more will necessarily improve your chances of conceiving.
How to enjoy them:
Roast pumpkin seeds with olive oil and your favorite spices.
Sprinkle them over oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothie bowls.
Add them to homemade trail mix with walnuts and dried fruit.
Use them as a crunchy topping for soups, salads, or roasted squash.
Dietitian tip: Keep a container of pumpkin seeds in your pantry for an easy addition to meals and snacks. Small, consistent habits can help you build a more nutrient-rich eating pattern without overhauling your entire diet.
Putting It All Together: A Fertility-Friendly Fall Meal Plan
You don't need to eat every food on this list every day. Instead, think about how you can combine seasonal produce with protein, whole grains, and healthy fats to create balanced meals that fit your lifestyle.
Here are a few easy ideas to get you started:
Breakfast: Oatmeal topped with chopped Massachusetts apples, walnuts, cinnamon, and Greek yogurt on the side.
Lunch: A fall grain bowl with roasted butternut squash, kale, chickpeas, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, and olive oil dressing.
Snack: Apple slices with peanut butter, or Greek yogurt topped with pumpkin seeds.
Dinner: Roasted salmon, Brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes drizzled with olive oil.
Vegetarian dinner: Lentil and vegetable soup with spinach, served with whole-grain bread and a side of roasted beets.
These meals offer a variety of nutrients, including folate, iron, zinc, fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats. They also provide protein and carbohydrates to help meet your everyday energy needs.
The best part? You can adjust these ideas based on your preferences, budget, schedule, and dietary needs.
Does Eating Seasonal Food Actually Improve Fertility?
This is an important question, especially when you are trying to conceive and may feel pressure to do everything possible to improve your chances.
Research has explored associations between overall dietary patterns and reproductive outcomes. Some studies suggest that certain healthy eating patterns may be associated with reproductive benefits, but findings are mixed. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine notes that there is not enough strong evidence to conclude that a specific diet or individual food improves natural fertility for everyone.
In other words, eating apples, squash, or pumpkin seeds will not guarantee pregnancy. And you do not need to follow a perfect diet to support your health.
What you can do is focus on the habits within your control:
Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Include protein at meals and snacks.
Choose fiber-rich carbohydrates, such as oats, beans, and whole grains.
Incorporate healthy fats from foods such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fish.
Discuss a prenatal vitamin and folic acid with your healthcare provider.
Make sure you are eating enough to meet your body's energy needs.
It is also important to remember that fertility is influenced by many factors beyond nutrition. If you have concerns about your fertility, a healthcare professional can help you determine whether further evaluation is appropriate.
Make This Fall About Nourishment, Not Perfection
Trying to conceive can bring a lot of uncertainty. It is understandable to want to find the right foods, supplements, and lifestyle habits to help you feel more in control.
But supporting your fertility does not mean eliminating all your favorite foods or creating a long list of rules to follow.
Sometimes, it can be as simple as visiting a local Massachusetts farm stand, picking up a few seasonal vegetables, and finding enjoyable ways to include them in your meals.
Let fall be an opportunity to nourish yourself, explore new recipes, and build habits that support your health without adding more stress to your TTC journey.
Want personalized nutrition guidance while trying to conceive?
At Campana Nutrition, I help women navigate fertility and preconception nutrition with realistic, individualized recommendations that fit their lives. Whether you're looking for help with balanced meals, understanding key fertility nutrients, or building a nutrition plan that feels manageable, you don't have to figure it all out on your own.
Explore my fertility nutrition counseling packages to learn how we can work together to create a plan that supports your journey to motherhood.
Sources:
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. Pick-Your-Own Farms. Information on Massachusetts apple and pumpkin seasons. Massachusetts Government.
American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Optimizing natural fertility: a committee opinion. Fertility and Sterility. 2022;117(1):53-63.
ASRM
American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Prepregnancy counseling. Preconception nutrient assessment and folic acid recommendations.
ASRM
