Fall harvest squashes are rich in nutrients and so high in demand, no wonder this hourglass shaped gourd is the perfect addition to an autumn meal.

“So many local restaurants are placing their order of squashes as of right now,” said Peter Cipponeri of Cipponeri Farms. “Butternut squash is the most popular squash in season because restaurants use it to make soups or add them in their dishes.”

Butternut squash presents the home cook with easy culinary possibilities. You can just place it on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for about an hour, or until you can pierce it with a sharp knife. Or remove the skin using a vegetable peeler and cut the flesh into chunks for steaming or sautéing. Once cooked, mash it, puree it for soup, fold it into a pasta or risotto dish, or simply savor your butternut squash as is.

There a lot of health benefits in squash, too. It’s low in fat and delivers ample doses of fiber, making it a heart-friendly food choice. It provides significant amounts of potassium, important for bone health, and vitamin B6, essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune systems.