The weather is turning. There’s a chill in the air. We’re all reaching for our coziest sweaters, puffiest jackets, fuzziest mittens and bracing ourselves for the coming snow. Yes, it’s that time of year again, and you know what that means: Soup season is upon us.

Nothing says “warm and cozy” like a hot bowl of homemade soup on a cold blustery day in the Midwest. For lower fat and calories, opt for a broth soup instead of a cream-based one. If sodium is a concern, choosing homemade soup over a canned option is a great way to avoid excess salt.

Homemade soup is also an excellent opportunity to add nutritious variety into any meal rotation. Use ingredients like leftover meats, vegetables and grains. Finally, pair your soup with a salad, whole grain baguette and a cold glass of milk for a well-rounded meal.

Soup can be frozen into single portions to be savored at a later date. Freeze individual portions in freezer-safe plastic or glass containers, allowing room for the soup to expand as it freezes. Grains and pasta will soak up broth as they freeze. Additional broth may be added while reheating to achieve the perfect ingredient-to-broth ratio. Pasta and grains can also be omitted before freezing and added just before serving.

All containers should be labeled and dated, and any soups that have been in the freezer for longer than three months should be discarded.

With its nutritious flexibility, soup could easily be your new seasonal favorite. Move over pumpkin spice-flavored everything, there’s a new fall staple in town.

• 6 cups low-sodium turkey (or chicken) stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 stocks celery, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoon dried parsley
• Dash of salt and pepper
• 3/4 cup cook rice (brown, wild or white)
• 2 cups leftover turkey, shredded

Fill a stockpot with turkey (or chicken) stock.
Add the bay leaf, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper to the stock. Simmer until vegetables are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Add rice and turkey. Simmer about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf and serve.

Kaia Chamberlain is a registered and licensed dietitian at St. Luke’s.