Last Updated on March 22, 2024 by Share My Kitchen
Thanks to industrialized farming and globalization, we can have just about any fruit or vegetable under the sun, at any time of year. If you think about it, most likely, the fruit or vegetable coming from the other side of the world was harvested early, meaning it didn’t get a chance to fully ripen, and then it was refrigerated for a long transport. Thus it’s neither really fresh nor tasteful.
I can almost hear the critics saying you need to eat diverse food all year around. Yes, this is true, especially nowadays when we live hectic lives. But I have never understood people who purchase the same type of food (I mean available locally) from 3000 miles away! Or people who want fresh raspberries in February.
Without going into extremes, my opinion is that if you want to be eating fresh and good food, you should make an effort and eat as much seasonal products as possible.
Here is why:
Better taste – if you haven’t already figured it out, ask any chef and he or she will tell you that fresh seasonal produce is best.
Better value – you don’t pay a premium for food that is scarcer or has travelled a long way.
Additional benefits:
Support of the local economy – when you buy in season, chances are that it was produced locally.
Better for the environment – reduced energy levels (and associated CO2 emissions) needed to grow and transport the food we eat.
Pumpkin Goodness! This seasonal product gives you unlimited options for soups, breads, pies, cookies and even ice-creams. Photo by: Antoniya Kostova
In short, by purchasing local foods in-season, you reduce the environmental damage caused by shipping foods
thousands of miles, your food money goes local, and your family will be able to enjoy the healthy benefits of eating fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables.
To me, there is one more intriguing aspects of buying seasonal produce – it is the exciting opportunity to try and experiment with new seasonal recipes.
It is really simple eating the right things at the right time: a crisp salad when it’s hot and sunny, a wholesome stew when it’s cold; strawberries in June, Brussels sprouts in December.
