Seasonal Eating
What Is Seasonal Eating?
Seasonal eating focuses on eating in-season fruits and vegetables. This can include eating certain fish or meats during specific parts of the year, but is more about fruits and vegetables because their growth depends on season-specific weather. “In-season” can mean different things for different regions and countries.
Eating seasonally helps promote digestive and environmental health. For example, Asparagus grown in the spring time -- their natural season -- are more nutritious and flavorful than asparagus grown in the winter time.
Growing and consuming crops seasonally not only guarantees a flavorful product, but it allows the environment to cycle through its natural resources and seasons.
Keep in mind that if you live in a place where seasonal fruits and vegetables are hard to come by, like an isolated area, it can be difficult to eat seasonally. More important than eating seasonally is making sure you get the nourishment you need.
Health Benefits
Instead of eating the same fruits and vegetables year-round, seasonal eating encourages a variety of healthy foods. Branching out from your favorite kinds of fresh produce will give you important vitamins and minerals that you might not usually get. Getting certain vitamins and minerals at particular times of the year is important also. Ex: Some “Fall” foods prepare you for a colder winter and/or flu season.
Also, the quality and freshness of in-season produce are better than out-of-season produce. Because demand for certain crops is high year-round, they are modified to grow in bulk and to resist disease, but these modifications take away some of their nutritious benefits. When fruits and vegetables are grown during their natural timeframe, they will grow and thrive without any harmful additives.
How to Get Started
Lifestyle changes like this can be intimidating, but if you’re interested in seasonal eating there are simple steps you can take to begin your journey:
Research what fruits and vegetables are in season for your area.
Summer crops are popular and commonly eaten, so focus on cool-weather produce that you don’t typically eat.
Preserve in-season fruits and vegetables for later on. You can freeze, dehydrate, pickle, can, etc. in-season produce to use during its off-season.
Seasonal eating is simple, healthy, and good for the environment.
