I'd be willing to bet the holidays actually do come earlier and earlier each year. Back in my day (okay, ten or fewer years ago), I don't think Halloween candy hit the shelves the week after the fourth of July. However, this generation's favorite fall trends have already started coming back (i.e. the adored pumpkin spice everything), and believe it or not…

Fall will officially be here this Friday!

Scary how quick summer went by, I know. Fall still has so much to look forward to though, because as the weather gets cooler, we start visiting pumpkin patches, bringing out the hot beverages, cozying up by the fire if you are so lucky to have a fireplace, eating Halloween candy, making casseroles for each and every gathering, getting stuffed at Thanksgiving, etc.

However, it can seem difficult to fully enjoy the season without resigning your healthy eating goals. (Picture your quintessential Baptist fellowship meal here. That stuff is good for the soul, man.)

Never fear, however! (Unless Halloween or Dia de los Muertos really freaks you out, in which case you may experience some fear.) There's a lot more to enjoy this season - especially food-wise - than just sweets.

Enjoy your candy, casseroles, and coziness, but be sure to include possibly some new fall traditions that help you enjoy the season and support your health.

1. Apple-picking

Apple-picking season is upon us! Whether you actually go apple-picking yourself for some locally grown fare, or you grab some from your local Walmart, apples are a great in-season choice. They're sweet, filling, full of fiber and vitamin C (and other vitamins), and make a great edible table decoration.

Use them in salads, oatmeal, cider, as an easy-to-carry snack, and more. If you want to find some local apples or a farm where you can pick your own, online is a great place to start your search.

2. Edamame

It sounds really fancy, but it's just Japanese for shelled soybeans. They make for a great in-season snack, and 1 cup provides almost 17g protein and 121% of your daily value for folate (as well as a fair amount of several other vitamins and minerals).

3. Blanket scarves and boots

How do blanket scarves and boots support your health, you may ask? For many, fall is the perfect weather. For me, it's a little cold for my taste, but it's still not so cold that it's miserable outside. Take this opportunity to bundle up as much as you see fit, and enjoy the outdoors before afternoon strolls turn into frostbite. Soak up some vitamin D from the sun before the days grow too much shorter, and get in some regular exercise. Observe the falling colorful leaves and get the blood pumping through your body.

4. Kale

Yes, it is the trend everyone loves or hates. It grew really popular a few years ago, hailed as the be-all end-all for nutrition, used in every kind of smoothie and salad imaginable. It really is a good source of vitamin A, C, and K, however, and is in season. (206% of your daily vitamin A, 134% for vitamin C, and 684% of your vitamin K in 1 cup of the raw stuff. This stuff is so potent, I'd ask your doctor or dietitian first if you're on blood thinners or at risk for blood clots. Otherwise it's a pretty great veggie option.) Eating 1 cup of raw kale is not really my cup of tea, because I do not just lounge around fantasizing about the taste of kale. However, I personally really enjoy the flavor when it's cooked. If you don't like it raw, try sautéing or roasting it, or even tossing it on a homemade pizza!

5. Tea

Coffee and cocoa aren't the only hot beverages that get to steal the show. With different flavors and brews of green, black, oolong, chai, white tea, you name it, tea is the naturally sugar-free beverage that often offers a softer dose of caffeine with a fair dose of antioxidants. If you're not already a hot tea drinker, you may enjoy it more starting out with a little bit of sugar or stevia and working yourself down. However, it's a simple beverage that doesn't demand a lot of milk or added substances to make a palatably intriguing hot beverage experience.

6. Muscadines

If there is a food that should be on trend alert, it should be muscadines. I formally declare it here. Fall is the time when people visit vineyards or when grapes are ready for harvest, but this particular strain of grapes, often golden or sometimes reddish in color, has a pretty high antioxidant content. Nature's candy just got a little sweeter.

7. Teal trick-or-treat pumpkins

Have you heard of the teal pumpkin project? I hadn't, but it's a great way to feel good by helping others, help kids feel included on Halloween, and potentially prevent a life-threatening allergic reaction. The teal pumpkin project is an initiative to offer non-food items to kids trick-or-treating, so that kids with allergies for sure have some treats they won't have to give away, and there's no danger of accidentally eating something they aren't supposed to. A teal pumpkin on your doorstep signals to kids and parents that you have non-food treats available.

8. Parsnips and turnips

A lot of the root vegetables come into season in the fall (sweet potatoes, anyone?), and parsnips and turnips are kind of like the hipster cousin to the carrot. They have a different flavor, but have a craveable taste that pairs well roasted with carrots or alone. Both parsnips and turnips are a good source of vitamin C and several other vitamins and minerals.

9. Lighten up your pumpkin spice addiction

Download the Starbucks app. This can instantly help you control what goes into your drink. A regular grande Pumpkin Spice Latte (with 2% milk) will contain 380 calories and 50g sugar. For reference, the recommended limit for added sugars is 25g. So in that one drink, most of that sugar being added, you're getting twice the recommended amount.

For starters, ditch the whipped cream, and try using almond milk (or nonfat or soy milk, if nut-allergic) in your drink. That alone will save you 150 calories and 12g sugar.

Next, try to exercise portion control and get a tall or a short size. A tall has 180 calories and 28g sugar, and the short only has 120 calories and 19g sugar. Lastly, in the app under "Flavors," you can change the number of pumps of pumpkin sauce. Using one (or more if you get larger than a short size) less pump lessens your added sugars even more.

By making these changes, you can still enjoy your pumpkin spice latte, but with a total of 260 or more calories cut out, and 31 or more grams of sugar cut out. (It will still taste good too, I promise.)

In summary: "no whip," "new milk," "smaller cup," and "less syrup" can drastically improve your Starbucks order.

You can make your own pumpkin spice everything at home, too. You can make your own blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, etc., or you can purchase "Pumpkin Pie Spice" to add to oatmeal, French toast, hot cocoa, and more without adding extra sugar or calories. (Cinnamon may reduce inflammation in the body also, so there's an added bonus!)

10. Spend some time with loved ones

Support your emotional health and the health of your relationships by making plans to spend time with relatives, friends, etc. Slow down from the hectic-ness and take time to be really present. Set down the phone, make eye contact with someone and really listen to an old story. Talk. Laugh. Perhaps the greatest part about the weather getting colder and the days growing shorter is that it draws us inside and closer to family. (Plus we usually get some pretty good food and stories out of it, anyways.)

You totally don't have to eat locally or in season, wear blanket scarves, or order from Starbucks to make your health a priority this fall. If kale isn't your thing, or parsnips don't appeal to you, there's a whole list of foods and produce that hit shelves during the fall that are definitely worth a try. You can even make a checklist and try to prepare every item on the list before fall is over. So go out there, seize the fall, and if you have the choice, always add pumpkin spice.