“Are there any apples on our tree this year?” my older daughter recently asked.

“There are lots of ripe apples high in the tree,” my husband responded.

I thought about past autumns when she and our other two kids used an apple picker to harvest apples from our Haralson tree. Our excited dachshunds attempted to nab the ones that hit the grass.

One year, we attempted to make perfect apple pies with various types of crust recipes. The flakiest crust came from old-fashioned lard. Yes, you read that correctly.

We used an apple peeler-corer-slicer device to prepare the slices. My daughter always enjoyed any type of garden or kitchen tool. I’d buy them to keep her interested in helping me.

We needed to start freezing the extra pies.

“You can have as many apples as you’d like,” I responded after my wave of nostalgia subsided.

Apples are a frequent symbol of good nutrition. Apple pies are not the healthiest food, but a slice certainly is a delicious occasional treat.

We have more than 2,500 cultivars of apple trees in the U.S., and they vary in their skin color, texture and flavor. Some are better for eating fresh, while others are more suited to sauces or pies.

But do apples really keep the doctor away? No food, by itself, is a miracle, but apples certainly contain several health-promoting components.

Apples contain soluble fiber (pectin) that may lower our blood cholesterol. Apples also contain antioxidant components that may help fight cancer, and these natural components may help keep our lungs healthy.

Eating more apples can also help with weight management and diabetes management.

In one study, 40 women ages 30 to 50 (all overweight, all with high blood cholesterol) participated in the study for six weeks, and 35 women participated for 12 weeks. The participants were provided a diet that included three apples or pears per day or an oat cookie with added fruit fiber.

The diets were energy-controlled so they would lose weight. The researchers reported that their weight decreased and blood glucose decreased significantly among the women who ate fruit, but not among those who ate the oat cookies. 

If you are hungry for a crisp, juicy apple, look for fruit with shiny, smooth skin and the typical color of that variety. Avoid fruit with bruises or punctures, or at minimum, cut away those parts.

A 3-inch apple has about 100 calories and 4.4 grams of fiber, and it contains potassium, vitamin C and other nutrients. Apples have very little fat and almost no sodium.

Before eating or preparing apples, be sure to rinse them thoroughly under cool, running water. For longer-term storage, keep apples in a higher humidity section of your refrigerator in a plastic bag to avoid their absorption of flavors from other foods.

Apples can be frozen, canned, dried or made into jams, jellies and relishes. Apple muffins, pancakes, salads and crisps are a welcome treat at this time of the year. Try making apple nachos by drizzling apple slices with a mixture of peanut butter and honey warmed in a microwave oven.

Try making apple fruit leather, which is perfect for snacks, or apple butter, which is delicious on whole-wheat toast or English muffins.

If you would like to try your hand at making canned apple pie filling, see “Let’s Preserve Fruit Pie Fillings” on the North Dakota State University Extension website.

For more recipes and apple information, visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/fieldtofork and click on “Field to Fork Resources,” then “Apples,” and you will find bountiful resources to inspire your menus.

See Table 1 in “From Orchard to Table: Apples” to learn about various apple cultivars, hardiness zones, flavor and use.

For more information about canning, freezing or drying apples and a variety of other produce, visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/food and check out the “Food Preservation” materials.

Most of us have a slow cooker or two (or three), so here’s an easy way to fill your home with the delicious autumn aroma of warm apples and cinnamon. Maybe the old saying about apples isn’t too far off — especially if you enjoy apples in some delicious, nutritious ways.

Slow Cooker Applesauce

4 large apples
Juice from one lemon
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ cup water

Peel and core apples; cut into quarters. Add apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar and water to a slow cooker, then stir well. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, until apples are very tender. Mash with the back of a fork or a potato masher.

Makes four servings. Each serving has 130 calories, 0 grams (g) fat, 1 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber and 0 milligrams sodium.

(Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.)

NDSU Agriculture Communication – Sept. 11, 2025

Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, 701-231-7187, julie.garden-robinson@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu