If you want to add more pizzazz to your dinner plate while also improving your health, eating seasonally accomplishes this one-two-punch magic. Different foods ripen at various points of the year, and consuming them at peak freshness offers oodles of benefits. Here’s what you need to know.
What Does It Mean to Eat Seasonally?
Eating seasonally means consuming fruits and vegetables as they naturally ripen at various points of the year. Although modern conveniences like high-speed transport and refrigeration have made many available year-round, seasonal eating once inspired multiple traditions.
For example, mature pumpkins can remain fresh in the field after the first frost. It makes sense that the early settlers used them in their Thanksgiving desserts.
Which foods come into season when depends on your climate zone and the plants that thrive in your native soils. However, following a few general rules helps you make informed decisions when dining out or planning your weekly meal-prep menu. The following popular veggies come into season in the late, cool months:
- Dark leafy greens
- Peas
- Cauliflower
- Radishes
- Lettuce
- Broccoli
- Carrots
Warm weather crops include:
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
- Eggplant
- Peppers
- Squash
Eating seasonally also applies to fruits. Those that come into season during the cooler months include:
- Apples
- Pears
- Persimmons
- Grapefruit
- Lemons
Fruits that come into season in the warmer months include:
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Blueberries
Of course, there are many more you can add to your diet. Consider patronizing your local farmers market for the freshest seasonal fare. It’s often possible to find bargains on organically grown produce for far less than you’d pay at the grocery store. You can also learn from the various vendors, asking them what they plant and when in your neighborhood.
The Health Benefits of Eating Seasonally
Your body and your wallet get advantages from eating produce when it’s in season.
1. Improved Nutrition
Eating seasonally boosts your nutrition intake naturally. The fruits and vegetables you consume lose more nutrients the further they get from their harvest date. Choosing seasonal produce ensures that apricot or pear has spent less time leaking vitamins and minerals during transportation and storage.
Getting the nutrition you need from food instead of supplements is wise for several reasons. While some synthetic formulations improve delivery, many natural foods contain other substances that facilitate nutrient absorption. Additionally, it’s possible to overdose on fat-soluble vitamins, but you’re unlikely to inadvertently consume too much vitamin A by gobbling carrots like Bugs Bunny.
2. Richer Flavor
If you’ve ever compared an apple fresh off the tree with one that’s sat in a cellar for months, you know the first one tastes better. Fruits and vegetables lose more than nutrients during transportation and storage — they also lose flavor.
While you may not be able to replicate fresh-from-the-farm flavor at your farmers market, you can get closer when you choose to eat seasonally. Those snap peas likely came off the vine last week compared to those grocery store cucumbers, which may have lingered in cold storage. Better taste can encourage you to eat more fresh fruits and veggies and less junk.
3. Financial Savings
Seasonal eating costs less because you don’t have to pay extra for transportation and storage. Moving produce across long distances costs money, and every part of the supply chain passes these expenses down to the consumer. High grocery bills stress out countless families, but seeking bargains can reduce costs and the associated anxiety.
4. Seasonal Is Sustainable
Ensuring your produce is in season benefits the planet by reducing emissions. When you eat what grows in your local area, you need fewer planes, trains and trucks to carry goods long distances to your grocery store. The transportation sector is the largest contributor to global emissions, and eating what grows nearby is one way to reduce fossil fuel use.
Eat Seasonally for Better Health
Eating seasonally offers numerous health benefits. From fresher flavor that encourages you to eat more fruits and veggies to a heftier dose of vitamins and minerals, your body reaps the perks. You’ll also appreciate the impact of eating seasonally on your wallet and the planet.
