Think of the experience of eating a perfectly ripe, juicy summer tomato—its rich red colour, perfect consistency, bursting with flavour. Buying in-season fruits and vegetables always taste better—and that’s not the only benefit, according to Lisa Hayim, RD, a dietitian in New York City. When you purchase produce at peak season, you get more natural nutrients, she says. “Because seasonal fruits and vegetables don’t undergo lengthy transit times to get from farm to your kitchen, these integral vitamins and minerals are more likely to be preserved by the time you’re ready to eat your produce,” she says.
You’ll also save money: Shorter travel times for your produce means lower shipping costs, which lowers the grocer’s price—savings that get passed on to you at checkout. There’s also the law of supply and demand, says Lindsey Pine, a dietitian in Los Angeles, California. “When fruits and veggies are in season, the farmers will most likely have an abundance of the crop and prices will go down.”
If you’re looking for the freshest of the fresh, your local farmer’s market is a great place to start. And if you’re short on shopping time, join a community-supported agriculture association for fresh, picked-that-morning produce sourced directly from a local farm. And when you’re shopping at the grocery store, you can buy in season with this guide to ensure you get the biggest nutritional bang for your buck.
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