Although we are still crying over spilled milk as it seems that our beloved summer has made its last appearance, there are many things about the fall that we enjoy! The gorgeous leaves as they change colors; a jog in the cool, crisp, refreshing air; Halloween… the list goes on…. One thing that we aren’t so excited about as the colder weather approaches is those colds and flus associated with the weather change. And even though you try to eat right and exercise regularly, sometimes your body needs an extra boost of vitamins to fend off those viruses we can unsuspectingly pick up.

So what’s a quick, real food fix to boost your immunity?

Focus on increasing foods high in vitamin C! Here are a few of our favorite sources of vitamin C that we like include into our weekly (and for many of these foods, daily!) diet.

Kiwis are great for breakfast and start your day off right with healthy dose of vitamin C. One of these tart fruits provides 141% of the RDA and goes great with oatmeal or yogurt.

Clementines are a great snack since they travel well and are easy to peel. All kinds of citrus fruit are high in vitamin C, and one Clementine provides 60% the RDA per fruit, so have a couple!

Bell peppers are a perfect addition to your salads and add color and flavor to your lunch. Add them to your pizza or pasta sauce to increase their vitamin C content. Color matters with peppers: yellow pepper provides the highest amount of vitamin C providing 159% RDA in 10 slice strips, where green pepper provides the least amount of vitamin C.

Try doing what we do: Cut a red bell pepper into strips and place in the fridge. At snack time, go for them! De-lish!

Broccoli, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts all go great to complete a dinner meal, so give your family the extra vitamin C they need to stay healthy. One cup of chopped broccoli provides 135% the RDA of vitamin C, cauliflower provides 77% RDA per cup and Brussel sprouts provide 125% per cup. We love adding a splash of garlic powder and pepper to any of these and mmmm!

Don’t forget spicing up your soups, curries and sauces with red or green chili peppers, and using fresh herbs like thyme and parsley are all great ways to add flavor, as well as vitamin C, to your favorite dishes. A single green chili pepper gives you 182% of the RDA for vitamin C, and fresh herbs will contribute to the overall amount of vitamin C to your soup, stew or salad like tabouleh.

How do you make sure you get vitamin C in your diet? Do you just take a vitamin or do you try to get it through your foods?