Savor the Seasons: 5 Benefits of Eating Seasonally & Locally Grown Food
5 reasons to eat by the seasons to elevate your plate, improve your life, and help you live more sustainably.
When you take a look in your pantry or fridge, how much do you really know about the food inside? Where does it come from? How was it grown, or raised? Whose hands did it pass through to find its place in your pantry?
While we know that what you eat is incredibly important in your overall health and happiness, the quality of food and where it’s sourced is equally important!
The old saying, “You are what you eat,” is more relevant than ever. In a world of year-round abundance and seemingly unlimited choices at the grocery store, we have to take the sentiment one step further — “You are what you eat, and what you eat ate.”
It’s easy to forget the unique flavors and qualities that come with eating succulent fruits and delectable vegetables during their natural growing season.
When you shop seasonally from a local farm, or support growers with a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share, you not only get to enjoy better tasting ingredients. You’ll begin to cultivate a deeper appreciation for our farmers’ commitment to nourishing our communities while supporting more sustainable food systems.
Continue reading for five reasons to eat by the seasons and buy fresh food from your local farm to improve your quality of life, support your community, and help you live more sustainably.
Preorder your farm-fresh food on GrownBy now.
Our farmers across America serve their local communities seasonal produce, artisanal cheese, and pasture raised eggs, and fresh meat and dairy products. Find a farmer near you now!
1. Local produce is fresh and nutrient dense.
Local, seasonal fruits and vegetables not only taste amazing, but they’re more likely to retain their nutritional value.
Local produce at farmers markets is often harvested at peak ripeness the day before or even morning of! Much of the produce you’ll find in grocery stores is harvested before they’re ripe, stored for long periods of time, and travel thousands of miles to your local supermarket. The longer produce sits after harvest, the more nutrients it can lose.
2. Shopping local reduces environmental impact.
Aside from the freshness factor, buying locally reduces the carbon footprint associated with packaging and transporting tons of food products thousands of miles. When you purchase food directly from your farmer, it’s likely that the produce has only traveled a short distance compared to items at a grocery store.
Biking to the farmers market or driving a few miles to pick up your CSA share every week emits vastly less carbon and gas emissions and supports a more sustainable (and connected) food system. Just don’t forget to BYOB (bring your own bag!).
3. Buying local supports your local economy.
Purchasing food directly from your local farmer eliminates the middleman, and your money directly funds the farmers — your neighbors. This ultimately contributes to the economic well-being of your community.
Keeping money within your local economy benefits your community far more than providing job opportunities. Our consumption choices can increases demand for sustainable farming practices, while lowering demand for big box stores and corporations that often take advantage of small business owners, which can ultimately shift production decisions toward a more sustainable, ethical food system.
You also have the opportunity to chat with your neighbors and interact directly with the farmer who grew, harvested, and packed your food! Ask your farmer questions about their farming practices and favorite crops to enhance your appreciation for their commitment to filling your fridge with food from the farm.
4. Enjoy seasonal variety and diversity.
Embracing seasonal eating encourages flexibility and creativity in the kitchen; every season brings a new variety of plants and other products to plan your meals around.
If you are part of a local CSA program, you have the opportunity to try out new fruit or vegetables that you’ve never heard of, let alone seen at the grocery store!
Eating seasonally introduces you to a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the year, which promotes a more diverse and balanced diet. More food variety means we get a wide range of nutrients and bioactive compounds that support a healthy system.
Finding and trying new recipes can be a weekly activity for the whole family! The element of surprise that comes with a CSA share keeps kids (and adults) engaged.
Instead of sticking to a fixed menu, or the same three or four vegetables every week of every month, you and your family adapt to the availability of fresh produce and other products available at your local farm. Who knows — you might find a new favorite!
Happy animals are healthy animals and seasonal eaters are sustainable consumers!
5. Farm food tastes better.
Once you’ve tasted an heirloom tomato straight off the vine or ground beef from happy pasture raised cows, the grocery store alternative is…lacking in taste to say the least. Fresh, local, and seasonal produce simply tastes superior!
Whether it’s because the packaged produce has been stored for extended periods of time, transported long distances, or is simply grown or raised in nutrient depleted soil, the supermarket substitutes can’t compare to your local farmers’.
Farm fresh produce products have time to develop full flavor on the vine or tree, rather than being harvested prematurely for transportation. Livestock and chickens that are eventually produced into meat, dairy, and eggs live better lives on pasture and are fed less processed diets. Happy animals are healthy animals and seasonal eaters are sustainable consumers!
When you choose to shop locally and eat seasonally from your local farm and farmers markets, you not only enjoy the benefits of better tasting and more nutritious food, but you also contribute to a more sustainable, environmentally friendly, and economically supportive food system.
How do I start shopping locally and eating seasonally?
If you’re interested in shopping more locally and seasonally, the local farmers market is your first stop! You can also create a free account on GrownBy to purchase products from participating local farms. You have the option to join a CSA, purchase a subscription, or buy items a la carte. That means you can support multiple farmers with a single account.
Don’t see what you’re looking for? Invite a local farm to join the GrownBy app today.
If you’re a grower, feel free to share this blog post with your community with credit to @grownbyapp and @farmgenerationscoop.
Memorable meals and strong communities begin with GrownBy.
By directly linking growers with customers, GrownBy makes it possible for everyone to eat local. Build your farm shop on the GrownBy Marketplace for free or start shopping at your local farms.
Grow with us at @farmgenerationscoop and @grownbyapp.
