Written By: Maria Dinh
Seasonal produce is food that is harvested and sold locally. Now that food can be shipped throughout the world, we often forget that different foods are grown in different seasons. For example, cherries are only in season throughout the months of June through August. To buy cherries during other months, such as January, they must be transported to our grocery stores from places where it is growing season is at different times of the year.
Eating seasonally has many benefits:
- It’s cheaper: Eating produce that is harvested and sold locally typically costs a lot less compared to produce that has been transported from overseas.
- It tastes better: Seasonal produce is grown and picked at the peak of ripeness! This means it’s a lot fresher and more full of flavor compared to produce that has traveled long distances of transport.
- It can be more nutrient dense: Fruits and vegetables that are harvested locally are able to ripen naturally from its plant where it gets a chance to develop more nutrients, whereas produce that gets picked early can start to lose its nutrients sooner. The longer the travel time to your local market, the more nutrients can be lost.
Produce that is in season this spring:
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Radishes
- Rhubarb
- Cabbage
- Collard greens
- Lettuce, arugula, salad greens
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Chives
- Oregano
- Mint
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