Eating Seasonally—why it's important and how to do it!
Seasonal eating—why do we do it? What does it even mean? Seasonal eating is just what it sounds like—it encourages you to focus on fruits and vegetables that are currently in-season. This can also include eating certain fish or meat during different parts of the year as well, but it primarily focuses on fruits and vegetables as their growth depends on season-specific weather.
The best way to eat seasonally is by shopping locally. This is a fantastic way to improve our health, planet, and community. From farmer’s markets and fruit stands, to your family-owned community grocer, keeping your dollars local benefits all of us in so many ways.
Here are some benefits—for you and for our planet!
Fresh whole foods that you buy at the farmer’s market contain higher nutritional value than the packaged and processed foods you find in a supermarket. Fruits and vegetables are in their peak state the moment they are picked from their plant, so the sooner you eat them, the better.
Small farms are able to sustainably produce delicious fruits and vegetables without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Furthermore, they sell them so quickly after they are harvested, that little to no preservatives are needed! Buying locally (and organically) prevents you from ingesting these harmful chemicals. Not only are these chemicals harmful for your body and soil, they also become harmful runoff into the ocean which causes algal blooms and kills tons of fish and other animals (i.e. red tides).
Eating seasonally is also a much more sustainable option. When you buy from your local farmers you help reduce the chemical run off that big business farms produce when they use harmful pesticides and fertilizers. Some of these pesticides have been identified as contributors to honeybee’s Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). A tragic phenomenon that is killing bees all over the world, one that can have a devastating effect on agriculture. By eating seasonally, you help minimize the miles your food has to travel to make it to your plate, reducing the fossil fuels used in the food industry. As much as possible, eat locally and seasonally to: curb exporting via trucks and planes, to minimize the need for packaging and shipping facilities, and to reduce the refrigeration needed throughout the entire process. Something to ponder—most food in a supermarket has traveled over 1,500 miles to get there. We want to minimize that as much as possible. Your local grocers/farmers want to work with you! Communicate with them to be even more mindful of where your food comes from and how it’s grown. This will keep you connected to what you are putting inside your body and the land that is nourishing it.
Pro tip!
Freeze your food! This allows you to buy in bulk without wasting food, reduce costs, and preserve seasonal produce without diminishing nutritional value.
Here are some resources for you!
Local Farmers Market: Search the USDA Farmers Market database to find the farmer’s market near you!
Another local food directory can be found here.
CSA box: A CSA box is a Community Supported Agriculture box that can be delivered, as often as you like, directly to your home. They provide in-season produce that is typically organic and locally grown straight to your door by growing and partnering with local farms. Each item comes with information about the produce itself – where it’s from, and what farm provided it – giving you peace of mind on where your food is really coming from. Getting a CSA box eliminates the grocery store middleman, allowing more money to go directly to farmers and fresher produce to be shipped directly to you!
Find a Co-Op near you
Additional co-op directory here.