Eating In Season
Pre-cancer Leslie thought eating in season meant that when it was the Holiday Season, you were eating in season when you had pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. Honestly I never thought about it much. I never used any mindfulness when choosing foods, I just ate. Today we are so far removed from our food sources and my generation did not grow their own food or even come from a generation that grew their own food. I am not blaming my old ways on anyone I just never thought much about the food I was eating before I had cancer. The theory of eating in season never occurred to me. Now I try to eat in season whenever possible. Here are three reasons that you should consider it too.
3 Reasons to Eat in Season
- Saves $$$! – It is really quite simple, when food is grown in season it is more abundant and available. Often in a good growing season there will be more grown than can be sold at a regular price so it is sold for a cheaper price to encourage you to buy and there is no wasted food. You might see Pineapples in early spring for .99 each or $2 watermelon in the middle of summer. Taking advantage of the discounted prices does not mean it will not taste great, just the opposite, it means it is fresh and they need to get rid of it!
- It’s Healthier! – Fresh in season foods can have up to 3 times more nutrients than imported out of season foods. When you have a long transportation time of fresh foods they lose their nutrient potency during their travels. Fresher is super food! Heat, light and oxygen cause food to lose vital nutrients and in just 3 days of transportation produce can lose up to 30% of its nutrients. So buy as fresh as you can and in season is always the freshest!
- Taste So Good! – Food that is grown for a particular season is allowed to fully ripen before shipping. If you have ever had a strawberry in May and a Strawberry in February you know what I am talking about. The May berries are juicer, sweeter and naturally ripe. Produce that is out of season and shipped is artificially ripened and is dry, acidic and not as flavorful.
So when you can, eat in season, but don’t stress if you want spinach in January! You should be eating the rainbow all the time and not just in season. Nowadays I know what is in season from my region and you should too. Check out this super cool site that has a great seasonal food guide. It is awesome, plus you can type in your state and the season and get a list of in season foods. My suggestion is to look in a 500 mile radius of where you live in this handy guide. Also, below is a cheat sheet for you that is a general guideline for eating in season.
Finally, when you are introducing new foods into your diet or in your family menu plan, pick food that is in season and you will have a good gauge for what the fruit or vegetable really tastes like. If you give a picky eater food that is out of season and it is not perfectly perfect they may never try it again. Being mindful with your food is a great gift that you can give yourself and eating in season is part of that mindfulness.
SEASONAL FRUIT LIST
|
Spring |
Summer |
Fall |
Winter |
|
Apricots Honeydew Limes Mango Oranges Pineapple Strawberries |
Apricots Blackberries Blueberries Cantaloupe Cherries Cherries, Sour Elderberries Figs Grapefruit Grapes Honeydew Melons Limes Nectarines Peaches Plums Raspberries Strawberries Tomatoes Watermelon |
Apples Cranberries Grapes Guava Pear, All Persimmons Pineapple Pomegranate
|
Clementines Dates Grapefruit Kiwifruit Oranges Pear Persimmons Tangerines |
SEASONAL VEGETABLE LIST
|
Spring |
Summer |
Fall |
Winter |
|
Artichokes Asparagus Beans, Fava Beans, Green Broccoli Chives Corn Fennel Greens Lettuce Peas Radicchio Rhubarb Watercres |
Beans Beets Corn Cucumbers Edamame Eggplant Garlic Okra Peas Peppers, Bell Peppers, Jalapeno Radishes Shallots Summer Squash Zuchinni Tomatillo |
Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cauliflower Diakon Radish Garlic Ginger Jerusalem Artichoke Kohlrabi Mushrooms Peppers, Jalapeno Pumpkin Radicchio Squash Sweet Potatoes Swiss Chard Turnips |
Brussels Sprouts Chestnuts Collard Greens Endive, Belgian Kale Leeks Squash Sweet Potatoes Turnips |
