Have you ever craved a roasted pumpkin in the middle of summer, paid an arm and a leg for an avocado in winter? — we’ve all done it!
With the quick production of fruits and veggies from all over the world, we’ve grown accustomed to eating a large assortment of produce, all year round. But did you know, eating fruits and veggies that are in season is a super easy (and delicious!) way to help our planet AND make sure you’re getting all the wonderfully natural benefits from your produce?
Here are 3 reasons why!
1. Nature Knows Best
If you’ve ever peeled a beautifully bright orange only to find a dry and tasteless fruit on the inside, you may have fallen victim to an out-of-season produce haul.
In order to have access to specific fruits and veggies year-round, grocery stores have to import produce from all over the world! To ensure that the produce is appealing to the customers after it’s long travels, each item must be harvested early, refrigerated, and often artificially ripened — using chemicals, gases or a heat process — before being placed on the grocery store shelves.
Not only does this process drastically reduce taste and freshness, it also has a huge impact on the planet!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
By buying in season fruits and veg — which are often available locally and not required to be shipped long distances — you are allowing your produce to follow its natural and complete growing cycles, as well as largely helping the planet by minimizing Food Miles and cutting down on Carbon emissions and energy consumption from shipping.
In other words, in season produce is given the time to fully ripen on the vine or tree before being harvested, making them nutrient dense, good for you, and good for the planet!
2. Taste Don’t Cost a Thing
When fruits and veggies are in season, there’s plenty to go around! Berries are plentiful in the summer, collard greens in the winter, and their price tag will reflect just that. Because in season produce is abundant, grocery stores are able to easily access large amounts and offer them at a lower price!
Who doesn’t like getting nutrient dense and tastier fruits and veggies for less?
3. Giving Back
Local Farmers Markets are filled with delicious in season fruits and veggies! By visiting your town’s Market, you’re directly supporting local farmers and investing your dollar back into the community! Take the time to chat with farmers about their produce and learn all the tips, tricks, and hard work that goes into creating their seasonal harvest.
Because Farmers Market produce come directly from the source, plastic packaging is minimal and loose bulk fruits and veggies are abundant! Ask local venders if they accept personal containers or are happy to have their packaging (like berry punnets and twist-ties) returned, cleaned, and used again! And of course, don’t forget your reusable Grocery Tote, Market Bag and Produce Bags when you go!
As an additional bonus, a majority of Farmers Market produce is Certified Organic — meaning it was grown in soil that is free from prohibited synthetic fertilizers and pesticides for at least 3 years before being harvested!
Don’t have time to go to your local market each week? Many farms provide CSA (Community Support Agriculture) Box subscriptions — monthly or weekly produce subscriptions that provide you and your family with healthy, delicious, and local produce! And the best part? You’ll only receive in season produce! Search online to find our nearest CSA.
Buying in season produce isn’t always an option, and some days you might just give in to that produce craving — and that’s ok! Making a conscious effort to buy local and in season as often as possible is an excellent start to a more sustainable lifestyle. We can’t wait to see all the delicious in season recipes you create next!