Tis the season for Crock- Pots and flu shots. It’s a time for flannel shirts and tall boots, so it shouldn’t be a tall order to add a shot of immunity to complete your autumn get-up.

A whole lot of fall activity revolves around preparing for winter as the weather cools – wrapping up your garden, yanking those final hardy bits of kale, readying your snow blower, packing away absurdly heavy air conditioners and trading kids’ sun hats for snow pants.

Here in the Northeast, winter prep between apple-picking outings and pumpkin patch rendezvous is more than tradition – it’s mandatory.

And as we rev up our families up for the relentlessly cold season ahead, we should remember this means flu season, and top our to-do lists with protection from the flu before we attack the chimney flue.

According to the CDC, influenza vaccines – easy to access and most often at no cost – can reduce flu illnesses, doctor visits, and missed work and school. Older people, very young kiddos, pregnant ladies and those with certain health conditions are especially vulnerable to flu.

The CDC states you can get yours at your doctor’s office, a health clinic, pharmacy or college health center. Some employers and schools offer the flu vaccine.

Just like regular inoculations, the more people are vaccinated, the better we’ll all be protected.

And because flu viruses constantly change, it’s recommended by the CDC that everyone older than 6 months gets yearly flu shots to best protect ourselves from the current season’s strongest and most common strains. Right now, no one can tell how severe this year’s flu will be, but getting the shot preventatively is absolutely your best weapon against it, because it can lead to serious illness.

For this 2016-17 flu season, only injectable flu shots are advised. The nasal spray vaccine, which was popular last year among kiddos, will not be recommended this year. Those with severe egg allergies should check in with their health care practitioner to see whether they can receive the flu shot.

Last week, my 5-year-old rolled up his sleeve to show me his tiger stripes of the day – a bandage on his arm indicating where he’d received a flu shot that day in school.

He was proud of himself, and though I knew there was a chance his arm may be sore the next day, the shot was done and over with.

My husband, youngest son and I are up next.

Is our family guaranteed immunity against the flu this season? Nope. But we will have given ourselves a fighting chance.

And then we can move on to the more fun things on our fall to-do list, like preparing a hearty stew and getting our apple crisp on.

‘Tis the season, after all.

I have no beef with getting the flu shot.

Where’s the beef?

It’s in my Crock-Pot.

— Michelle Cote is the creative director of the Journal Tribune and a nationally-syndicated columnist. She enjoys cooking, baking, and living room dance-offs with her husband, two boys and a dog. She can be contacted at mcote@journaltribune.com.