List Of Vegetables And Fruit In Season

Homegrown Roma Tomatoes

Seasonality Matters

In our modern fast paced lives, with an uber-supermarket standing, like a beacon to capitalism, on every street corner in every suburb in the country it's tempting to look past seasonality. Buying tomatoes in January or squash in July, but those tomatoes or that squash, having been shipped from the other side of the planet, are going to be woody, watery, flavorless and unripe and the flesh is going to be off color.

Even when ingredients are local to a region that is no guarantee that a particular ingredient is going to be available to you. In other words, you're still not likely to walk into that uber-supermarket and find pigs feet, or hanger steak or any other ingredient that doesn't market well in your region.

By eating within the season, that is, choosing to buy and cook those things that are in season you develop a natural harmony with the environment around you and you develop a natural biological rhythm. You're doing what your body adapted to over the millions of years of evolution. In addition, by eating with the seasons you naturally have a balanced diet, that delivers a full range of nutrients. Rather than say, eating corn all year long and then wondering why you don't feel so good.

Does that mean you should never eat out of season? Not necessarily, I really do believe that moderation is key. If you really want asparagus in December buy them. Just try and make eating seasonally the norm, and eating out of season the occasional indulgence. 

Do I eat out of season? Sure I do, sometimes. I buy frozen berries all year long, even in the summer when they are in season. But I am using them for their health benefits, not their flavor, which isn't affected by seasonality. I put them in smoothies. Even when they're in season I'm not going to pay 3.00 dollars for a basket of blueberries when I can buy a bag of frozen organic blueberries that is twice the weight of the basket for about 2.50. Especially, since all I am going to do is blend them with some almond milk, yogurt, honey, and oats.

On the other hand If I am planning to make blueberry tarts in June, you can bet that I am going to buy the best fresh organic blueberries I can find, and I don't make blueberry tarts in December.

Below is a list of vegetables and fruits organized by their season.

Spring Produce