Eating Seasonally

If you have heard some of the buzz surrounding "eating seasonally" then you may be wondering why this has become such a hot topic. You may even be thinking that this is an absurd thought because it would be silly to not take advantage of all the variety presented to us in the supermarket thanks to present-day technology. Shouldn't we be celebrating the option of eating asparagus year round as opposed to two months out of the year?  Yes and no.

All fruits and vegetables should be enjoyed year round. But the point is to emphasize certain foods over others because there are specific perks to doing so. It's not difficult to do if aware of what is in season when (there are tons of tools out there to help, like this one here and here).


Perks


It's better for the environment. Since food that is in season in your area doesn't need to go very far to reach your table there is a reduction in pollution emissions. Hello, healthier planet!

It's usually cheaper. With lower fuel and transportation costs, the price of the produce usually reflects this. The reason why I state that "usually" this is the case is because there are other factors that play a role in the price of a product. Variables like unusual weather conditions, damaged crops, etc. can prevent ideal pricing. But keep in mind, that if it's a season where the fruits and vegetables aren't cheaper, they generally are never more expensive than produce that's out of season- so you still might as well.

Tastes better and is fresher. This is a result of getting to your table faster and harvesting methods. Out of season fruits and vegetables are picked before becoming fully ripe and this gets in the way of proper taste and smell development. It also doesn't allow the nutritional value of the product to reach its fullest potential.

Eating seasonally is a way of creating the most delicious meals because you will be incorporating ingredients at their prime. Basically, this is why the strawberries that I am enjoying now taste like they've been dipped in sugar; yet the blueberries don't leave much of an impression.

I'm excited to take advantage of what the summer season has to offer and hopefully I've inspired you to do the same.

Is Buying Organic Produce Worth the Extra Cost?

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With the media constantly sending us mixed messages and the economy forcing us to be more mindful about our spending, why bother with organic produce? It appears to look just like the cheaper variety and tends to spoil quicker. So why go that route?

Organic: any food that is produced without the use of conventional methods like chemical fertilizers or pesticides. 

Some studies suggest that organic foods offer more nutrients than traditional foods. However, these findings are not conclusive. It is clear that exposure to pesticides can be toxic. The National Institutes of Health [NIH] sponsored three studies on children born to mothers who have been subjected to various pesticides. The results of these studies found that these children are more susceptible to setbacks in their cognitive development, reasoning ability, and memory. Although, even nonorganic foods stay within the government safety guidelines for pesticides.

At the end of the day, it's best to err on the side of caution. The way to go about doing this is to recognize which fruits and vegetables are the "dirtiest" and which are the "cleanest". The non-profit Environmental Working Group [EWG] found the following foods to have the greatest amount of pesticides:

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• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet bell peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Imported grapes
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

If you decide to go organic, these are the fruits and vegetables that should be first in line. If going organic isn't a possibility it doesn't mean that these foods should be avoided. Instead, purchase domestically grown grapes, use a vegetable brush when washing potatoes, and take the time to wash your fruits and veggies thoroughly.

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Foods that have the least amount of pesticides:

• Papaya
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Bananas
• Kiwi
• Frozen sweet peas
• Asparagus
• Mango
• Pineapples
• Frozen sweet corn
• Avocado
• Onions (contain NO pesticides)

Whether or not you choose to buy organic produce, you're still better off buying it EVEN if it isn't organic. The pros of eating nonorganic fruits and vegetables outweigh the cons. Just make sure to take the time to wash them well.