Aside from being packed with vitamin A and a solid source of vitamins C and B6, winter squashes are some of the most versatile cold-weather produce. Their natural sugars make them fit for sweet dishes, but we love trotting them out for savory dinners, too. Their textures range from the self-spiralizing magic of spaghetti squash to the creamy convenience of canned pumpkin. Add to all that the fact that they're generally crowd-pleasing and you've got all the reasons you need to make them the centerpiece of your dinners this week.
While we're focusing on popular and easier-to-find butternut squash, pumpkin, spaghetti squash, and acorn squash here, this category of gourds also includes more specialty varieties like delicata, hubbard, and kabocha. If you can find them at the farmers' market, be sure to give them a try.