Why to Consume Seasonal Produces
Summer is here! What better way than to cook with produce in-season?
Cooking with in-season produce ensures better taste, healthier meals, and savings on your grocery bill. Today we follow cooking trends and sometimes we don’t even know if it’s the best meal for us. Some of these trends are also based on the consumption market controlled by supply and demand.
When cooking with in-season products there are many advantages such as taste, cheaper, freshness, and environmentally friendly. Our friends at Joe Cross have a detailed list of these benefits that you can read on the following link. Read More - 6 Great Benefits of Eating What’s in Season.
3 top benefits and a source you can check out to know what are the in-season produce in your area.
Health
When foods are consumed in-season we are providing our body with higher amounts of vitamins and other important nutrients. The in-season produces have grown naturally and have not been forced to grow outside of their natural conditions. According to the United States Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintaining a diet with fresh produce can help reduce the risk of disease.
Does this make sense? When consuming items that are in-season means that these food are grown in the same climate we are experiencing. I think if they are able to thrive in this climate so can we if we consume those nutrients. What do you think?
Photo by Arno Senoner
Environmentally Friendly
Think of how many miles an avocado needs to travel during the wintertime. According to Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, California accounts for the majority of the US avocado production. If you are based on the east coast your avocado has traveled approximately 2,866 miles. These foods have not only lost nutrients but have also impacted the environment due to the fuel emission needed for transport.
Next time you are buying groceries you should think about the distance these products have traveled and how they are part of the problem. Visit your local farmers' market!
My dear friend Aixa in my kitchen after a trip from the farmers market. @dandocontenido
Taste
Do you ever wonder why the tomatoes from the local market taste much better than the supermarket? Well, the local farmers market sells what their crops generated while the supermarket vendors produce to meet demand. These items have not only traveled miles losing their taste and nutrients but they have also been forced to grow at a quicker rate. Purchasing from local vendors guarantees freshness and flavor.
If you live or have lived in New Jersey you are familiar with Jersey Tomatoes. They are the best tomatoes and are ONLY available when they are in season. If you have not, I highly recommend you to try them. New Jersey Tomatoes: What’s all the Hype About?
What produce are in season?
Seasonal Food Guide is an organization and a free online tool and app that helps you find out the produce in season in your location.
They collect data from the NRDC and state departments of agriculture and university extension programs across the US.
Hope this information helps you on your next grocery shopping journey! 😊
I would love to hear your opinion.
What is your favorite in-season vegetable or fruit?
Is there something I did not cover in this article that you would love to know about?
Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Please note that this article is for educational purpose. This article is NOT SPONSORED.
