1. Citrus

Citrus fruits are some of the best foods to prevent colds, hands down. All of them contain tons of vitamin C, which helps strengthen your immune system. That, in turn, makes it easier for your body to fight off infection, including colds. Since there are so many, and so many of those are seasonal fruits, I couldn't pick just one. Stick to typical choices, like oranges and grapefruits, or try tangerines, clementines, or even your favorite juices.

2. Chickpeas

Introducing cold preventing foods into your diet is really easy, because you probably eat many of them already. For example, do you like hummus and falafel, enjoy using gram flour, or put chickpeas in your salad? Feel free to indulge! They're high in zinc, which is very good for you and very bad for colds.

3. Strawberries

Strawberries also have lots of vitamin C, as well. I'll be honest, I added them because I like them, and because it's important to enjoy a nice variety of fruit in winter. Since frozen fruits (and vegetables!) still provide an excellent source of the nutrients you need, you can even purchase frozen strawberries to add to smoothies. I like using frozen berries as ice cubes in iced teas. It's win/win: you get additional flavor in your drink (so you don't have to use as much sugar), plus you get to eat the berries when you're done!

4. Almonds

As stated, many of the best foods to prevent colds contain plenty of zinc. If you check the label, that's one of the ways OTC remedies for cold relief and prevention work. There's plenty of vitamin C and plenty of zinc. Since almonds are good for you in other ways as well, consider making them one of your go-to snacks this winter.

5. Garlic

Lots of healthy winter foods complement each other, too. For example, hummus just wouldn't be the same without some fresh garlic. For that matter, garlic makes a lot of savory dishes more flavorful. And, just incidentally, it's really good for staving off colds, thanks to antioxidants and alliin, a great decongestant for keeping your sinuses open and clear.

6. Peppers

Ready for a two-fer? Help yourself to all kinds of peppers when you're trying to stay well this winter. Spicy peppers are fantastic for keeping your nose clear, so hot peppers and chili peppers are ideal. Bell peppers are awesome sources of vitamin C, especially the red ones. Do yourself a solid and eat up all kinds of peppers in the coming months!

7. Ginger

Ginger is more than just a fantastic flavoring agent, although using fresh grated ginger in your recipes is definitely healthy as well as delicious! However, this strong root is also versatile when you make tea with it. All you need is some fresh, grated ginger and boiling water. The concoction will help you stop coughing – and, incidentally, it also helps with bad monthly cramps.

8. Chicken Soup

You've probably been told that chicken soup is one of the best foods to prevent colds – probably by your mom or grandma. Repeatedly. The thing is, chicken soup really is beneficial! It gets rid of congestion, plus if you're sore and achy, it'll soothe what ails you. If you add in some garlic, carrots, and celery, you can even reduce any inflammation.

Keep in mind, these are just some of the best foods to prevent colds. There are plenty of others, all of which you can easily incorporate into your daily diet. Doing so benefits you in dozens of ways, including keeping you healthy while everyone around you sniffles and sneezes. Along with washing your hands, keeping warm, and staying active, these healthy winter foods are all you need to stay largely cold-free. Do you have any homemade recipes or remedies that are good for colds?