Why You Should Eat What’s In Season
Why eat what’s in season?
- Spend less – Foods that are locally in season are more plentiful and take less transport, which equals less markup in price.
- Leave a smaller carbon footprint – Foods that are not in season must be shipped in from other countries. Opting to eat local cuts down on pollution and resources.
- Support local growers – This site says it best: “strengthen your community by investing your food dollars close to home”. Read more for facts on how we consume produce.
Now what?
- Find out what’s growing now – I can’t tell you off the top of my head what’s peaking in Missouri right now. Either can most people. That’s why I rely on Epicurious’ peak-season map. Just pick your state or neighboring states along with the month and you’ll get a pop-up list! If you would like a more general list for the US, use WiseBread.
- Find related recipes – Incorporate seasonal produce more tastily by discovering new ways to cook it. Sometimes I get stuck in a rut of salads and steaming, but a quick Google of this month’s peaking produce yields yummy results. Also check out Epicurious’ seasonal recipes and menus.
- Finally, make a grocery list – It’s easy to forget what is in season since it changes so often. Making a list helps you remember your ingredients and cut down on costs since you’ve planned your meals ahead of time. I like to type mine in Evernote and access my list on the go from my phone.
Do you have other tips or reasons to eat seasonally?
Who is writing…
I am a journalist, television host, wife, mom, traveler, foodie and wino obsessed with optimizing both the food experience and the resulting health and longevity impacts of the food experience. My husband is a doctor and ultra-marathoner, and together, we are looking to subvert the negative health effects of the modern American diet by eating less processed food, meat and sugar. That doesn't mean we don't indulge now and then, it just means we're in pursuit of balance and overall health for our family.
