Written by: Admin_SheEvo
As the Northern hemisphere plunges deeper into summer. I am more inspired than ever to eat all the yummy produce that comes with warmer weather. As an advocate for seasonal eating. I must say that even though I would love to eat seasonally all year round. I do find the winter months to be particularly hard to follow the seasonal eating rules. In part because of the options available during colder months which do little for my particular pallet. None the less, I do make it a point to try as best as I can to eat seasonally when possible.
What is seasonal eating and what are its benefits?
So what is seasonal eating and why is it important? Simply put, seasonal eating is eating fruit and vegetables that naturally grow in a particular season. This idea is based off of the thought that this type of eating was how our ancestors ate. But also because science has proven time and time again that each season produces produce with the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need. A few examples of this are oranges and other citrus fruits which ripen around winter time and help provide us with natural vitamin C that our bodies need to fight off colds and flu’s during colder months. Another example is watermelons. As watermelons have a high water content, this particular fruit is useful during the summer months when we sweat more and need more hydration.
And luckily for me, since moving to France it has become a lot easier to eat seasonally. This is due in part because of the availability of food markets where farmers come and sell their produce. This produce is often organic and grown in accordance to the best seasons for that particular fruit or vegetable. And while the winter months can be a bit sad for a berry lover like myself. Summer is filled with so many of my favorite fruits and vegetables like strawberries, raspberries, peas and tomatoes to count a few.
Other benefits of seasonal eating
Whilst it may seem impossible, seasonal eating can save you lots of money. This is because not as much extra effort has been put into either shipping or growing food in a different climate to what they need. So if you are looking to make the switch and eat more seasonally. I would suggest starting by searching online for what fruits and vegetables grow in what months in your country. From there it is up to you how much you are willing to adhere to seasonal eating. And if you do find yourself in need of berries during colder months; turn to the frozen food section for some. As more often than not frozen berries are prepared when that particular fruit or veg is in season and readily available. Or better yet freeze or pickle some for yourself.
