Eating Seasonally: Why Fresh, In-Season Produce Is Better for You & the Planet 🍓

Eating seasonally means choosing fruits and vegetables that are naturally ripe and harvested at their peak time of year—think juicy strawberries in spring, sweet corn in summer, crisp apples in fall, and hearty kale in winter. It’s a simple habit that benefits not just your health, but also your wallet and the environment.

Why should you eat seasonally? Let’s break down the perks:

• More Nutritious: In-season produce is picked at its peak ripeness, when it’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. For example, summer tomatoes have higher levels of lycopene (a cancer-fighting antioxidant) than tomatoes grown in greenhouses out of season. Produce that’s shipped long distances (to reach stores out of season) loses nutrients over time—by the time it hits your plate, it’s already less healthy.
• Better Taste: Ripe, in-season fruits and veggies taste brighter and more flavorful. A summer peach picked fresh from the orchard is sweeter and juicier than a peach shipped from another country in winter. When food tastes better, you’re more likely to eat more fruits and veggies—win-win!
• Cheaper: When produce is in season, there’s more of it available, so prices drop. For example, you’ll pay half as much for apples in fall as you will in spring. Eating seasonally helps you save money on groceries without sacrificing quality.
• Eco-Friendly: Out-of-season produce often requires greenhouses, artificial lighting, and long-distance shipping—all of which use more energy and create more carbon emissions. Seasonal produce is usually grown locally, so it has a smaller “carbon footprint” and supports local farmers.

Not sure what’s in season? Here’s a quick guide to get you started:

• Spring: Asparagus, strawberries, peas, radishes, spinach, artichokes. Try roasted asparagus with lemon, or a strawberry spinach salad.
• Summer: Watermelon, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, peaches, blueberries. Enjoy grilled corn on the cob, or a fresh tomato and mozzarella salad.
• Fall: Pumpkins, apples, squash (butternut, acorn), sweet potatoes, cranberries. Make roasted butternut squash soup, or baked apples with cinnamon.
• Winter: Kale, oranges, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, citrus fruits (grapefruits, clementines). Whip up a kale and orange salad, or roasted broccoli with garlic.

How to eat seasonally year-round:

• Shop at farmers’ markets: Local farmers sell fresh, in-season produce—plus, you can ask them for recipe ideas!
• Freeze in-season produce: When strawberries are cheap in spring, buy extra and freeze them. Use them in smoothies or oatmeal all winter long.
• Check grocery store labels: Look for produce labeled “local” or “in season”—grocers often highlight these items.

💡 Pro Tip: Try one new in-season fruit or veggie each month. This keeps your diet varied and helps you discover new favorite foods!