In today’s market, it’s normal to see the same produce available year-round. However, that doesn’t mean the quality’s the same throughout the seasons. Eating seasonally means you are simply taking advantage of the harvest schedule and enjoying produce at its peak. For this time of year, that includes foods with rich fall colors like burnt orange, deep burgundy, and hunter green.
Shop for seasonal produce and reap the following benefits:
· Fresher food—Seasonal produce likely is recently picked and hasn’t been sitting on a truck or in a warehouse for weeks.
· Better taste—In-season produce retains its nutritional value and tastes better, sweeter, and perfectly ripe. If the produce is tasty, you’ll likely eat more of it. That’s a healthy win-win.
· Lower costs—When produce is in season, farmers harvest larger crops. The increased supply may mean lower prices for you.
· Reduced carbon footprint—Out-of-season produce is typically imported or takes more energy to grow due to the need for greenhouses.
It’s called harvest season for a reason, so there should be plenty of fresh produce options available at your local farmers market or grocery store.