As the days get shorter and temperatures get cooler, our thoughts turn to the comfort foods that many of us grew up with. Childhood memories of savoring simple, homey foods inspire us to add them to our fall menus.

Although many classic fall foods, such as apples and sweet potatoes, are now available year-round, they’re at their peak flavor and ripeness — and at their lowest cost — during fall, the traditional growing season.

During the autumn months, our senses are filled with the aromas of:

• Meat-based soups, such as beef, mushroom barley or ham and bean soup
• Hearty stews and roasts, such as beef stew, chicken and dumplings, and brisket pot roast
• Mashed or roasted root vegetables, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, rutabagas and parsnips
• True comfort dishes, such as macaroni and cheese, meatloaf with mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes or acorn squash and shepherd’s pie
• Delicious fall desserts, such as apple or pear cobbler, cranberry-orange muffins and cinnamon-scented pumpkin bread, warm from the oven

While we all love the comfort-food classics, many of them are loaded with fat. Try these tricks to lighten the top three comfort foods without sacrificing flavor:

• Macaroni and cheese: Use reduced-fat skim milk and cheese. Sharp Cheddar gives you more flavor “bang for the buck” than mild, so you can use less. Boost nutrition by adding finely chopped vegetables.
• Mashed potatoes: Mash with evaporated skim milk instead of cream for richness with less fat. Or make garlic mashed potatoes: Cook chopped fresh garlic (lots) in skim milk with just a tablespoon of butter; then whip the garlic-flavored milk into the potatoes.
• Meatloaf: Use lean ground round or substitute ground turkey breast for half of the meat (the fattier half adds moisture and flavor). Or, substitute a cup of finely grated potato or carrot for 1/4 pound of meat. Use soft whole-wheat bread crumbs instead of dried bread crumbs.

The sturdier foods of fall — such as root vegetables and meat roasts — call for stronger seasonings, so use herbs with bolder flavors. Sage, thyme and rosemary are great herbs to incorporate.

With the fresh ingredients available today, it’s easy to introduce your children to the comfort foods and flavors you know and love.