Why You Should Be Eating Seasonal Foods

Unless you grow all your own food, you – like most of us – are dependent on farmers for food. The question becomes what type of farms and foods do you support with your dollar? Are you supporting farms located thousands of miles from your home that harvest the produce before it reaches peak ripeness so that it doesn’t spoil in transport? Or are you supporting locally grown produce that is grown in season and harvested at its peak deliciousness?

Of course, it depends on where you live and your eating habits, but I get so excited once we are past winter because it means the start of gardens and farming and a summer and fall of amazing harvests of fresh foods.

Unfortunately, most people don’t realize there are growing seasons because our typical grocery store stocks a wide variety of fresh vegetables and fruits year-round.

The idea of seasonal eating centers around the strategy of only consuming fresh fruits and vegetables when they are naturally ripe. It’s the idea of enjoying foods at their peak perfection, but it does not preclude canning, pickling, dehydrating, or freezing some of these nutrient-dense foods to enjoy in the off-seasons.

Historically, people had only one choice—to eat foods grown in season—but today, we can eat most fruits and vegetables by simply going to our local food store.

Why should you care about eating fruits and vegetables in season? Keep reading for the 10 reasons!

Reasons to Eat Seasonally

1. Highest Nutritional Goodness. Foods that are in season are typically harvested at their peak ripeness, which means the nutrient content is at its highest.

2. Supports Local Farmers/Growers. A vibrant community needs a healthy farming community, and buying directly from local growers has much larger economic impacts than buying produce grown by distant farms. Typically, more of every dollar spent locally stays local.

3. Best Taste. There is nothing more flavorful and delicious than freshly harvested fruits and vegetables, especially those using heirloom seeds. Take a taste test comparing store-bought strawberries with locally grown strawberries; you’ll never go back to the store-bought!

4. Encourages Variety. Most people have a small number of favorite fruits and vegetables that they buy and eat regularly, which helps us miss out on all sorts of other wonderful foods. Buying in season often forces us to try new foods.

5. Aligns with Natural Rhythms. Seasonal eating brings us back to nature and encourages a deeper connection to the natural cycles of the Earth. With climate control and the wide availability of foods year-round, many people live in artificial environments.

6. Better Prices. When there is an abundance of foods, the prices are typically lower than when buying during the off season, when supplies are more limited (or have to be shipped from far away locations).

7. Boosts Food Security. A generation ago, many people stored a lot of seasonal food in basements, freezers, and root cellars. By buying in season and supporting local farmers, it increases the likelihood the farms will be healthy and successful. By preserving some of those fresh foods in your home, you increase your personal food security.

8. Reduces Chemical Contaminants. Large farms often use many chemicals to enhance the soil and protect against weeds and pests as part of an industrial process. Often, other chemicals are added to prevent the produce from ripening too fast in shipping. Small farms typically use fewer chemicals, but it is always a best practice to ask how they grow their foods.

9. More environmentally-friendly. When foods are out of season and need to be sourced from farms in another part of the globe, there are massive transportation costs – both financially and environmentally. Buying foods as close to home as possible is a major gift to the environment.

10. Grows Community. When we purchase our food from local farmers, we are directly contributing to the economic stability and growth of the local community. Every dollar spent buying from local farms and farmers' markets mostly stays within the community -- supporting local businesses and generating more local jobs.

Seasonal Produce Guide

What follows is a generalized (but not comprehensive) list of when foods are available, but please check with your local farming community to know what is in season in your location.

Winter: Potatoes, winter squash, citrus, beets

Spring: Asparagus, broccoli, green beans, herbs, kale, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, spinach

Summer: Avocados, berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), cherries, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, green beans, melons, peaches, peppers, plums, summer squash, tomatoes, watermelon

Fall: Apples, beets, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, cranberries, grapes, kale, pomegranates, pears, potatoes, pumpkin, winter squash

Final Thoughts on Eating Seasonally

One of my favorite activities (and I am an introvert) is going to farmers markets and chatting with the farmers – about their lives, their foods, their struggles. I not only find interesting and unexpected foods, but some farms even offer recipes for using the foods they grow.

Bizarrely, seasonal produce grown locally can sometimes be more expensive than what you can buy in the supermarket, but remember all the benefits of buying locally produced foods… and also consider the value of investing in your health with the best foods, even if it pushes your budget a bit.

Connect with your food – and your farmers – and be better connected to life, health, food, and the seasons. Isn’t it better to buy from someone you know – your local farmer – than from some giant corporation that cares nothing about you nor the food as long as it is making a profit.

Buying seasonal foods is a wonderful option for your health and healthspan, but it also supports a vibrant community and shows respect for the environment.

Seasonal Eating Resources

• Seasonal Eating: Benefits for Health and the Environment

• Top Tips for Seasonally Adjusting Your Diet with Recipes

• Seasonal Ingredients: Why They Matter and How to Incorporate Them into Your Meals

• Harvesting Health: A Guide to Eating Seasonal Foods

• From Garden to Table: How to Embrace Seasonal Eating

• The Top 10 Reasons Why Eating Seasonally is Beneficial for Health and Sustainability

• Supporting Local Farmers: The Importance of Buying Locally Grown Produce

• From Field to Table: How Buying Directly from Local Farms Can Improve Your Community

• Top 10 Reasons To Buy From Small, Local Farms

• Seasonal Produce Guide: Your Month-by-Month Farmers’ Market Plan