Fall is one of my favorite times of year. The weather gets cooler and all of those winter vegetables are getting ready to be harvested. You can head to your garden, farmers market or local grocery store and see more and more butternut squash, buttercup squash, pumpkin and one of my favorite acorn squash. 
 

 

Photo by: Martha Stewart


Acorn squash can be prepared in so many different ways. It can roasted, pureed, steamed or baked and used for a main dish or seasonal side. Winter squash is a vegetable that is perfect for those beginner eaters. Acorn squash can be prepared exactly like Butternut squash and either served alone or mixed with grains or fruit such as banana or apple. 



If you have an older child that is a picky eater you can incorporate acorn squash in pasta sauce, egg mixture for french toast, pancakes, baked oatmeal, parfaits and much more. 

Benefits of Acorn Squash

Acorn Squash is packed with fiber, magnesium, potassium, B vitamins and vitamin C. Recent research has made it clear just how important winter squash is worldwide to antioxidant intake, especially so in the case of carotenoid antioxidants, which help in the aging process...I think I will eat squash daily after learning that fact! LOL Did you know that one cup of baked winter squash will provide you with 340 milligrams of omega 3 fats in the form of alpha-linolenic acid? For more nutritional information on acorn squash go to WHFoods.


Storing Acorn squash:

I think the easiest way to store pureed acorn squash or any fruit or vegetable that you want to use for babies or to incorporate in meals is to freeze in ice cube trays. After the cubes are frozen place the cubes in a labeled freezer baggie and put back into the freezer. Then you can take out as much as you need for your baby or the recipe you are making. Remember each frozen cube is 1oz.