Eat seasonally
With modern “advancements” in tech and globalization, our methods of attaining food are centered around efficiency and convenience. Most fruits and veggies are shipped in from all over the world so that they are available year round. This has caused us to lose our ecological literacy and connection to the earth’s natural rhythms, and it’s had detrimental effects on our planet and our health.
Due to this, there has been a growing movement to switch back to eating more locally and more seasonally. Here are a few good reasons to make more of an effort to eat in season:
1) Nutritional benefits: Eating what is in season locally means you’re eating fresher fruit and vegetables, which allows you to eat produce when they are at their most nutrient dense.
2) Environmental Benefits: Global flights, shipping and transportation require a huge amount of fuel and contribute to carbon emissions. Another environmental issue associated with internationally shipped produce is that fruit and veggies are usually picked unripe and gassed with ethylene in order to ripen just in time to reach stores. Sourcing seasonally and locally means that you’re reducing the number of miles your food travels before it reaches your plate, reducing the amount of fuel used and preventing polluting gases from going into the atmosphere.
3) Local Economy Benefits: Another bonus with local and seasonal eating, is that by purchasing fresh and local produce you’ll be supporting local farmers’ and communities.
4) Economical Benefits: Food is easier and cheaper to grow in it’s natural season, making it more abundant, less time and water-intensive, and more affordable for consumers. Often there are specials on seasonal produce, because there is so much of it and it needs to be used up.
5) Pleasure Benefits: We all want to eat delicious food. Thankfully, food grown in season is significantly more delicious than food out of season.