4 Reasons to Eat Fruit and Vegetables in Season
There are all kinds of benefits to eating seasonal fruits and vegetables. Let's look at some of the reasons why seasonal food is a better choice for your family and those who want to follow a plant-based diet.
1. It's healthier
Seasonal food is more likely to be local, and therefore it is less likely to be covered with preservatives, fungicides, and waxes to make the trip from farm to store. Seasonal produce has not spent as much time in storage as out-of-season produce; therefore, it is fresher and has more nutrients (vitamin C, for example, is lost through citrus peel as the fruit sits in storage).
It has also been suggested that the human body responds better to seasonal foods and digests them more thoroughly. Some individuals believe that out-of-season food can be a "shock" to the system. People are affected by the turning of the seasons, and it stands to reason that our bodies would respond positively to seasonal foods.
2. Seasonal foods are easier on the budget
Seasonal produce does not have to be as heavily processed before you buy it. It is abundant in season, and conditions are conducive to growing without a lot of intervention, such as pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. All of these factors combine to produce a fruit or vegetable that costs far less than produce that has to be grown in a greenhouse, with electric lights and synthetic fertilizers standing in for sunlight and soil.
3. Eating seasonally helps prevent "food fatigue"
If you eat certain foods year-round, you can get quite tired of them. Instead, you and your family can look forward to "tomato and peach season" or "pumpkin and squash season" each year, and those foods will taste so much better after months of waiting. They will also taste better in general since seasonal produce is more flavorful.
4. Educate children about the seasons
Take the time to explain to your children how food grows in certain conditions and talk about the foods that will accompany the upcoming season. Your children will come to associate certain times of the year with certain foods, thus making healthy, whole foods into comfort foods for your kids. What a gift to give your children for a lifetime!
Here is a partial list of produce and what time of year it is considered "in season." Some produce is available fresh year-round, such as bananas, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and kiwi.
January-February: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage (January), cauliflower, grapefruit, kale, leeks, and oranges.
March-May: Artichokes, asparagus, avocados, beets, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers (April and May) greens, lettuce, okra, parsnips (March) peas, rhubarb, spinach, summer squash (April and May).
June-September: Apricots, arugula, basil, beans, berries, cherries, grapes, mangoes, melons, peaches (July and August), pears (September), peppers, plums, tomatoes (July and August), wild mushrooms (September).
October-December: Apples, cranberries, dates, figs (October), kale (November and December), kumquats, mandarin oranges (November and December), pears, star fruit, sweet potatoes, winter squash.
This is only a partial list. Find out what grows in your area during different times of the year and enjoy eating seasonally.
