Eating with the Seasons: 6 Reasons to Give it a Try
What does it mean to “eat seasonally”?
Is there any real benefit?
In short, the answer is “yes!” but the reasons why may come as a surprise to you.
And because I love to empower you to learn the “why” behind everything that’s going on within your body and how it relates to the food you’re eating, I’m so glad you’re here reading this post. I hope I can teach you something new!
But first off….
What Does It Mean To “eat with the seasons”?
In our modern world, almost every food is available at our fingertips any time of year through our local supermarket. We often forget that strawberries, for example, aren’t always in season… even though you can find them 365 days a year on your grocery store shelves.
Eating seasonally means that you’re choosing to eat only (or mostly) the produce that grows naturally in your area for the current time of year. In other words... think what you might find growing on trees or in the ground during any particular season or month of the year.
So in the summertime, you’d be eating lots of tomatoes, cucumbers, berries, peaches, and bright leafy greens. While in the winter, your plate would consist of things like squash, root vegetables, and darker greens like kale or collards.
But what are the benefits of eating in-season produce over year-round apples and blueberries? Here are 6 reasons to make eating seasonally part of your routine.
Produce that’s in-season just tastes better.
If you’ve ever eaten a tomato in the winter only to find yourself sorely disappointed by the bland flavor of… well, not much… you know exactly what I’m talking about! It’s nothing compared to the taste of a fresh cherry tomato plucked right off the vine in the middle of July!
Produce that’s at the peak of it’s season has the best flavor it can any time of year - no doubt about it. Fresh apples in the fall, pomegranates in the winter, delicate herbs in the spring and berries in the summertime… they’re just not the same any other time of year.
Eating with the seasons can save you money.
Produce costs significantly less when it’s in season. That’s because there’s plenty of it and it takes less effort to grow.
Challenge yourself to build meals around what’s plentiful at any given time of year. Not only will your meals taste better, but you’ll save money on your grocery bill too!
Have a favorite recipe you like to make all year round? Try replacing any fruits or veggies in the recipe for whatever’s in season at the time. For example, yogurt with blueberries is one of my favorite snacks in the summer… but in the fall, I like to add a swirl of homemade apple butter instead! You might enjoy experimenting with new flavors and discover something new.
Produce has the most nutrients when it’s in season.
It’s true! The nutrient density of produce reaches its peak whenever it’s naturally growing. So not only will that tomato taste a thousand times better in the summer… it will be more nutritious, too!
One study on the seasonal nutritional content of broccoli measured the vitamin C content in the crop across all 4 seasons. It showed that “the fall values for vitamin C were almost twice as high as those for spring” [1]. Broccoli’s natural growing season starts around October (varying a little depending on where you live), so it makes sense that its nutritional value would peak here as well!
It Supports Our Body’s Natural Nutritional Needs
It’s no coincidence that winter provides us with all things citrus, especially those high in Vitamin C. It’s the perfect time for us to enjoy them and help support our immune system as we fight through cold and flu season.
And don’t forget about winter’s vegetables - they’re comforting and warming, and perfect for hot soups and stews, casseroles, and slow cookers.
Come summertime, we can find a bounty of stone fruits that provide us with carotenoids and beta-carotenes to help protect our skin from sun damage, along with plenty of crisp & refreshing veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, and bell peppers to keep us cool.
Foods Grown Out Of Season Need Ripening Agents
When foods are grown out of season, they are unable to follow their natural growing and ripening patterns. In order for certain fruits and vegetables to be available year-round, certain ripening agents are used. These are typically added post-harvest, and include chemicals, gases, and heat processing. Some produce is even coated with an edible film to protect it.
These processes allow food to be produced in large quantities by slowing the maturing process and ripening of our produce. While this practice ensures that farmers can meet demand for produce year-round, it takes a toll on the nutritional value of our fruits and veggies. Stick to in-season produce to enjoy them in their most natural form possible.
Eating in Season increases the Variety of nutrients in our diet.
When we eat the same old things all the time, we get the same old nutrients over and over. But eating new things every few weeks means that we’re providing our bodies with all different kinds of nutrients all year round.
By eating this way, we can ensure our bodies are getting more of all the kinds of things they need to stay strong and thrive, and lessens the likelihood of becoming deficient in nutrients of one kind or another. It encourages balance over the course of the year in the flavors and textures of our foods and the nutrients our bodies receive.
So there you have it - six different reasons to consider eating along with the seasons. I hope you’ve found one or two to motivate you to give it a shot! Your taste buds, wallet, and body will thank you.
Need some seasonal recipe inspiration?
I’ve got you! Check out my seasonal recipe collections below…
REFERENCES:
Nutritional quality of organic, conventional, and seasonally grown broccoli using vitamin C as a marker, International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 59:1, 34-45, DOI: 10.1080/09637480701453637
