Seasonal Eating

The farmers markets are almost here, and we can’t wait! Not only does it mean we will get to see many of you at the markets where we set up shop, but we are excited to buy fresh, local produce from our farmer friends as well. Did you know that eating seasonally can also help the planet?

One big way that eating seasonally can help the earth is by reducing demand for foods that require transportation from the far away places where they are grown. The gas (and jet fuel), wear and tear on the roads and vehicles, and emissions involved in getting those items to the grocery store take a toll on our environment that could be largely avoided if we just ate what we have here.

Another way eating seasonally can help the planet is by reducing packaging waste. If you eat seasonal fruits and veggies, they are fresh, often sold without packaging at local markets and stores, and can be bought and put into reusable bags. If the produce has to travel a long way and last longer before being bought, it is often sealed in plastic to avoid spoilage or packed to avoid bruising during a bumpy ride on a truck.

Finally, eating local, seasonal produce will help contribute to biodiversity and your local economy. The consistent crops we find year-round in grocery stores across the nation are usually produced from monoculture, which is the practice of growing one crop species with the same genes in a field at a time. This yields a lot of produce but reduces the natural biodiversity of the area over time. Support the land and your local farmers by purchasing from them instead.

If you want to meal-plan ahead and you’re curious about which local produce will be available this April (and beyond), check out the guide at SeasonalFoodGuide.org. See you at the farmers markets soon!