There are many ways to grocery shop more economically and sustainably, including purchasing fruits and vegetables that are in season during the time you go shopping. In today’s generation, buying seasonally-specific fruits and vegetables for your health and wellness can be considered a life hack. The reason is that there are many benefits to buying and eating seasonal produce. Seasonal produce is higher quality and more beneficial to both the environment and your body as well as more affordable.
Produce that is in season tends to be more fresh and nutritious.
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Quality Control/ Benefits
In-season produce are picked for individuals to consume directly shortly after being harvested at the best time, leading to their being fresher and richer in flavor. With the four seasons of the year (winter, spring, summer, and fall), it is vital to be aware of when fruits and vegetables are the ripest and tastiest. For instance, pears and potatoes are in season during the winter and fall months.
In addition, eating seasonal produce is beneficial for the environment. When produce is picked at its peak times, a good portion is distributed locally. In the case that the produce is locally sourced, you can worry less about losing nutrients with more fuel and energy utilized to transport them to their destinations. On the contrary, when produce is not in season, it will most likely be picked outside the time of peak ripeness and lose essential nutrients or require transportation from a different region where it is in season.
Access and Affordability
Grocery shopping is required to purchase all your needs and wants, but necessary items such as food are becoming more and more expensive. There are many solutions in place to help monitor and limit expenses, especially when it comes to purchasing fruits and vegetables. Farmers’ markets are a great way to have easy access to fresh seasonal produce. You can locate farmers markets within the United States through local food directories. Many communities host farmers markets so that people can have access to fresh produce and products can help contribute to the local community and economy. At the same time, you may be able to ask specific farmers about the practices they utilize to harvest the produce in person at these markets.
Before writing your upcoming grocery shopping list, consider looking at a seasonal fruit and vegetable calendar beforehand.
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