Go Seasonal This Fall: The Why & How

Why Buy Seasonal?

We always hear people telling us to buy seasonal fruits & veggies and when we sign up for our CSA box or go to the Farmer's Market, we automatically get seasonal items. Everyone knows they should do it, but not everyone knows why. It's just so tempting to just go to the grocery store and pick-up some strawberries in December ;). Let's go seasonal...and this is why:

• Seasonal food means seeds germinate in the soil at the right time, meaning plants are naturally stronger and more resistant to disease. 

• Out-of-season food may be "force grown" in artificial conditions, requiring more fertilizers. This can lead to watery, flavourless produce.

• Food left to ripen on the plant will contain more nutrients and have a better flavour than food that is harvested early and ripened artificially.

• Buying local, seasonal food guarantees you shorter times from field-to-kitchen. Out-of-season food may have been picked six or more weeks before you buy it.

• Your efforts to eat "5-a-day" are worth much more if your 5 are locally produced seasonal fruit and vegetables, rather than artificially ripened produce that have travelled for weeks to reach you.

Makes sense right? Seasonal food is fresher and more nutritious for you and your family! So to fill your Meatless Mondays this fall with nutrition and deliciousness, here is a list of the fruits and veggies that are in season in the Fall.

1. Apples
2. Artichokes
3. Asian Pears
4. Avocados
5. Beets
6. Bell Peppers
7. Brussel Sprouts
8. Cabbage
9. Carrots
10. Cauliflower
11. Celery
12. Collards
13. Eggplant
14. Garlic
15. Grapes
16. Grapefruit
17. Kale
18. Kumquats
19. Leeks
20. Lemons
21. Melons
22. Okra
23. Onion
24. Parsnip
25. Pears
26. Persimmons
27. Pomegranates
28. Potatoes
29. Radish
30. Spinach
31. Strawberries
32. Summer Squash
33. Yams
34. Tomatoes
35. Turnips
36. Winter Squash

Now you're in the know! Next time you go to the grocery store, pull out this list and try to stick to it. You'll get a lot more out of your food :).

Photo credit: bfeedme.com

Monica Schrock is a vegetarian, bicycle-riding environmentalist, tattoo enthusiast and social media junkie. You can catch her drinking an iced coffee and reading a comic book (probably Tank Girl) at any given moment. She hearts our planet and gives tips on how to lower our environmental impact on her own site, Low Impact Betty. Stay updated on her low impact adventures by connecting with her on Twitter and Facebook.