Eating Seasonally This Summer

Buying local is a great way to get fresh, healthy food that hasn’t been chemically modified to keep its appearance after traveling half way around the world. Buying local means buying seasonal -- purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables when they are in season in your area. By buying in season you get the freshest, best-tasting produce at the best price, while eliminating the environmental damage caused by shipping foods thousands of miles.

You can better plan your meals around what’s in season with the seasonal produce guide available from Natural Resources Defense Council.

Now that summer is in full swing, we here in the northeast can look forward to the following coming into season: apples, beets, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cherries, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, oysters, peaches, peas, potatoes, radishes, raspberries, snap peas, spinach, squash, strawberries, tomatoes, turnips, and watermelon.

Eating seasonally is a great reason to try new foods. Check out the seasonal recipe guides from Allrecipes, Epicurious, The Food Network, and Cooking Light. Martha Stewart's Seasonal Produce Recipe Guide, in addition to offering seasonal recipes, lets you know what produce is in season, what to look for when selecting a particular type of produce, and how it should be stored.

Try eating seasonally the summer. Your taste buds, wallet, and planet will thank you!