Nutrition Hack: Seasonal Eating

One of the foundations of a healthy diet is variety. Every food has it’s own unique nutritional profile. By always switching things up, you can be confident that your diet is well-balanced and providing your body with everything it needs to thrive.

Between planning and preparing healthy meals, however, being mindful of the consistent cycling of foods can be a lot of work. One of our favorite ways to incorporate variety without adding stress is to embrace seasonal eating!

Seasonal eating is the concept of choosing produce that is purchased and consumed during its’ natural harvest season. Simply put, buying different foods during each season. Adjusting the pillars of your diet is much more manageable when it only occurs a few times throughout the year. This is also how humans ate before modern food and transportation industries arose, so many theories support eating seasonally for optimal health.

Aside from encouraging nutritional variety, there are many other benefits of seasonal eating!

• Foods harvested at peak ripeness during their preferred growing season provide maximum nutritional value.

• Locally grown, in-season produce is more environmentally friendly. Fruits and vegetables that are out of season are shipped hundreds of miles to get to your grocery store.

• Buying what’s in-season is a great way to cut down on your grocery bill, as these foods are less expensive!

• Purchasing produce from local farmers is a fantastic way to support your local community’s economy.

You may be surprised at how many foods are in-season this time of year! to learn more about the benefits of seasonal eating, see everything that is seasonal this time of year, find great recipes, and connect with local resources, click here. What are your favorite in-season foods right now? Share in the comments below!