Eating Seasonally: Choosing Veggies & Fruits In Season

Eating seasonally, we’ve all heard this altruistic diet suggestion from health magazines, nutritionists, friends, family, etc.. but what is the real difference one can expect when dining strictly with seasonal produce? CYS sought out to discover just that…

Aside from the long ancestral history of how our distant relatives used to get by without the modern conveniences of rapid global shipping, food preservatives, & delicious fresh strawberries year round that the agricultural  & industrial revolution have given way to, our ancestors simply ate what they had access to. They ate seasonal fruits & vegetables during spring, summer, fall, & in the cold winter months they turned to meats, seeds, nuts, & roots.

Our genetic make up has changed very little over the past 50,000+ years therefore the foods our ancestors ate back then still remain the best suited for our genes now! Meats, fish, nuts, seeds, fruits, & vegetables are still the most important in an ideal diet plan. Foods such as whole grain products & dairy products are acceptable, in small amounts of course. Leaving refined grains, like sugar, & processed or fried oils, in addition to artificial ingredients, such as preservatives, in the “stay away from” category.

Despite the lack of actual scientific evidence that this is a beneficial way of eating, it still brings to the table (no pun intended) two reasons that eating seasonally has a purpose. Choosing in-season vegetables & fruits, especially locally grown organic produce, means that the produce will be ripe & tastier as well as more nutritious than food produced out of season. Its hard to imagine what life would be like without fresh berries, bananas, & sweet potatoes year round! Eek!!

…so here are this month’s seasonal vegetables & fruits to get you started on purchasing your in-season produce as well as opening the door to more nutritionally dense & delicious meals!

Month of December – Check Out Your Local Farmer’s Markets Here!

List of Veggies that are In Season:

Artichokes, Asian Greens, Avocados, Beans, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery. Chard, Collards, Cress, Endive, Fennel, Garlic, Herbs, Horseradish, Kale!, Leeks, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Olives, Onions, Bell Peppers, Chili Peppers, Potatoes, Radish, Rutabaga, Scallions, Spinach, Winter Squash, Sweet Potatoes.

List of Fruits that are In Season:

Almonds, Apples, Asian Pears, Avocados, Chestnuts, Dates, Grapefruit, Grapes, Guavas, Kiwis, Kumquats, Lemons, Limes, Mandarins, Persimmons, Pistachios, Pomegranates, Pomelos, Tangerines, Walnuts.

Happy Eating!