Seasonal Eating

 

The Benefits of Seasonal Eating: Why Your Grandmother Was Right About Food

Before global shipping made every fruit and vegetable available year-round, people ate what was growing locally in that season. There was a simple wisdom to this rhythm that modern life has overlooked. Seasonal eating means choosing produce that is naturally harvested at the same time of year you’re buying and eating it.

This isn’t about a restrictive diet; it’s about reconnecting with the natural cycles of food. It’s a practice that benefits your health, your wallet, your taste buds, and the planet. Let’s explore why reaching for that strawberry in December might not be the best choice and how you can easily start eating with the seasons.

1. Maximize Flavor and Nutrition

Produce that is allowed to ripen fully in the sun and picked at its peak is a completely different experience from food harvested early to withstand long-distance shipping.

• Flavor: A sun-ripened tomato in August is bursting with a sweet, juicy flavor that a pale, hard tomato in January can’t match. Seasonal food simply tastes better.
• Nutrition: After harvest, fruits and vegetables begin to lose nutrients. Produce that travels long distances spends significant time in transit and storage, leading to a decline in its vitamin and mineral content. Local, seasonal produce gets to you faster, meaning it retains more of its nutritional value.

2. Support Your Local Community and Economy

When you buy seasonal produce, you’re often buying from local farmers. This keeps your food dollars within your community and supports family farms.

• Direct Connection: Shopping at a farmer’s market allows you to talk directly to the people who grow your food. You can learn about their farming practices and build a connection to your food’s source.
• Preserve Farmland: Supporting local agriculture helps preserve green spaces and farmland in your area.

3. Be Kind to Your Wallet and the Planet

Seasonal abundance drives down prices. When a crop is in season, there’s a lot of it, which makes it more affordable.

• Cost-Effective: Have you noticed how expensive berries are in the winter? That’s because they’re out of season and being shipped from far away. You’ll save money by choosing what’s plentiful now.
• Environmental Impact: Food that travels thousands of miles by plane, ship, and truck has a much larger carbon footprint than food grown nearby. Choosing local, seasonal produce is a simple way to reduce your environmental impact.

How to Start Eating Seasonally (It's Easier Than You Think)

You don’t have to make a drastic change overnight. Start small and enjoy the process of discovery.

1. Visit a Farmer's Market: This is the easiest way to know what’s in season. The offerings change throughout the year, naturally guiding your choices.
2. Look for “Local” Labels: In your grocery store, check the labels on produce. Many stores now identify which items are locally sourced.
3. Learn a Simple Seasonal Guide: Familiarize yourself with the basics of what grows in your region during each season. Here’s a general guide for temperate climates:
   • Spring: Asparagus, peas, radishes, leafy greens, strawberries.
   • Summer: Berries, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, cucumbers, peaches, melons.
   • Fall: Apples, pears, pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts.
   • Winter: Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit), kale, winter squash, potatoes, onions.
4. Preserve the Bounty: When you find a great deal on a seasonal item, consider preserving it. Freeze berries for smoothies, make apple sauce, or learn to can tomatoes for a taste of summer in January.

The Bottom Line

Eating seasonally is a return to a simpler, more intuitive way of nourishing ourselves. It’s about enjoying food when it’s at its best—both in taste and nutrition—while supporting the environment and your local community. Start by adding just one seasonal item to your cart this week. Savor the flavor, and know that you’re making a choice that’s good for you and the world around you.

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The information presented in this article on [Young Marc Blog] is for informational and educational purposes only. It is based on my personal research and interpretation of publicly available health information.

• I am not a doctor, dietitian, or certified nutritionist.
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