Eating in Season

09. Jul, 2009 Comments Off

Do you ever stop to think about what fruits and veggies are in season when you’re shopping? In the world of preservatives and processing, it’s easy to forget that the freshest, healthiest foods are grown in season; and by eating those foods during the appropriate season, you’re cashing in on the most flavor and highest nutritional value. Not to mention that in-season produce is usually much cheaper than the rest of the year.

However, if you’re like me and live in a climate like sunny Southern California, sometimes it’s hard to tell when one season ends and another begins. But let’s take a look at what we should be eating and when:

Spring. In spring, focus on green, leafy vegetables like Swiss chard, lettuce, spinach, parsley or basil.
Summer. Summer is a good time to focus on strawberries, apples, pears and plums. Veggies to look for include broccoli, cauliflower, corn and squash.
Fall. During the cooler months, look for more warming foods like sweet potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic.
Winter. In those cold winter months, try root vegetables like onions, potatoes, carrots and garlic. Also, look for corn and nuts.

Another benefit of buying in-season fruits and vegetables, is knowing that when you buy locally, you are helping the environment by eliminating some of the damage caused by shipping produce thousands of miles. Your dollar stays local and goes directly to the grower, not a middleman.

Also, buying locally, you receive the freshest possible produce, many items of which were probably harvested that same morning. You also eliminate processing, which decreases the nutritional value of your food and many times you also eliminate nasty pesticides.

If you would like to find out what’s in season in your state, check out this peak season ingredient map.

*Note: If you live in California, here’s a list of your peak-season fruits and veggies for July: