Earth Day was Monday and even though you already know that you should recycle and turn off the sink when you brush your teeth, today’s just the tip is about another way you can hug the Earth…
Just the Tip: Eat seasonally and locally.
But what’s in season right now?
Well, that depends on where you are. For example if you live in California these foods are in season in April/May:
Asparagus
Avocados
Basil
Beans, Green
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Cherries
CitrusCollards
Cucumber
Dates, Medjool
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushroom
Mustard
Nectarines
Onion, Green
Passion Fruit
Peas, Green
Raspberries
Spinach
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Turnips
If you live in Wisconsin this is what’s in season*:
-
Cheese
If you live in Canada this is what’s in season*:
-
Maple Syrup
-
Polar bear meat
(*Source: Stuff I made up)
If you’re in North America you probably have most of the same foods on your list. But checking with your local farmer’s market is going to be the list most accurate for your home.
Use Local Harvest to find a farm near you.
Benefits of eating seasonally:
- It’s cheaper! If a food is in season and in abundance it is going to be a better price than during the off season.
- It’s better for the environment to buy local as opposed to the added environmental costs of shipping fruits and veggies from across the world to your kitchen.
- They taste better! It’s probably extra sweet and delicious if it’s in season.
- Variety. If you change up the veggies and fruits you eat based on season your diet will have more variety.
Here are a few recipes that use some of the foods in season right now:
Strawberry Trifle Recipe – super easy dessert!
Strawberry Pizza Recipe – weird, but good.
Avocados are in season too! Yep. I’ve been eating a ton of them from my mom’s trees.
When life hands you avocados, make guacamole. 
Question: What’s your favorite fruit or veggie that’s in season now?
Bahaha I just started cracking up when I read “Wisconsin: Cheese”.
Too. Funny.
It is in fact maple syrup season in certain areas of Canada! Maple syrup festivals are all the rage at this time of year. Although I’m not too sure about the polar bear meat, asparagus will be in season soon.
I laughed so hard at the Cheese being in season in Wisconsin. So true! As a life long Wisconsin girl (why I’m not sure…it’s cold here!) I’m dying for some good fruit. The fruit in our stores right now is really expensive and looks horrible. That doesn’t bode well for my diet. Dying for some warmer weather and yummy fruit (watermelon, strawberries, pears…)
I’m in Missouri and it still feels like winter these days. Don’t know what’s in season, but I’m looking forward to picking strawberries!
Since moving out to SoCal I’ve LOVED going to farmer’s markets and eating locally and seasonally! I’m so glad that strawberries and such are back in season because I’ve missed them! Avocados too!!
I loooove avocados!! I could eat nothing but chips and guac all summer 😉
lol @ wisconsin and canada. thanks for the giggle!
I am all about trying to eat seasonally and locally but sometimes I need my imported blueberries during the winter. haha. and there are some other fruits or veggies we cant just grow here in the cornucopia that is CA. Mmmm Mexican mangos and bananas and pineapple. though I just sampled some local blueberries from the delta at the local farmers market, and oh man, they blow the import out of the water. soooo sweet! I’m going to buy a TON and freeze them for usage over the summer.
I want to make room for an avocado tree and a fig tree for my garden. i will be in heaven if they grow and produce abundant fruit.
I love, love, love avocadoes right now! I add them to anything I can especially when making egg salad sandwiches. I use the guac in place og mayo to make it lighter.
Yummm! Great list!
I’m just counting down til the cantaloupe doesn’t taste f$%ked up because that is one fruit where season makes all the difference in the entire universe. And zucchini flower season in June. And NJ strawberry season. And tomato season!
And the season where I could potentially go to a farmers’ market and find more than just apples and cheese and the meat of whoever didn’t make it through winter. . .
Strawberries!!! I just made a great batch of strawberry muffins!
A great post! I always try to eat what’s in season, not just because it tends to be cheaper but because its much better for you. Seasonal produce tends to get picked when it’s at its most ripe (and therefore highest in nutrients) and is not stored for weeks, losing all its goodness. I believe that you really can taste the difference too.
that fruit is so cheap! Well I am almost in Wisconsin, so I will say cheese and beer? We had snow last weekend (not that it really accumulated) but we are still waiting for leaves on the trees.
You’ve totally inspired me to check out my local farmer’s market this weekend. It’s getting in to asparagus season here now. Love them wrapped in bacon, grilled and dipped in soft-boiled eggs!
Snce the temps here are more or less hot and humid for most of the year, we don’t really have much of a “in season” produce though some fruits eg durians are only available at certain times of the year – fruits and vegetables probably more affected by the rainfall than by seasons.
Nothing. Western Canada missed the memo on spring and nothing is growing yet.
I’m not bitter at all! ;P
Ha, I live in Wisconsin and I’m lactose intolerant. They don’t like me much here … 😉
I am loving avocados right now. I love mixing them in my eggs!
I am living at the other end of the world where it is Autumn so I am making notes of all your great recipes to use in 6 months time when our fresh fruit comes into season. I find juicing of broccoli, carrot and oranges makes a lovely nutritious drink to start the day.
I have struggled with over-weight for years and find that if I use approved appetite suppressants to control my eating and get back on track I can keep the fat off. Once under control I don’t need that assistance anymore. It is an ongoing journey isn’t it? I am not able to run but I love walking the dog so that keeps us both happy!
Sometimes I wish I lived in a country where fruits don’t have to be imported! I’ll have to hug the earth in some other way.
I love buying local produce and farmers markets! Strawberry pizza looks awesome! And a new reader here who’s very envious of your avocado tree 🙂
Thanks for posting the local harvest link!
I lived on a farm for most of my life! I love in season produce!
I made guac today and thought of you…then proceeded to eat it all. Bahaha!
Mmm carrots. They can stay in season as long as they want!
I am loving the bright green asparagus at our farmer’s market right now. And the strawberries of course, they are full of flavor. We are lucky to have a farmers market near our house so we only buy fresh and local! It’s amazing the flavor difference if I have to buy stuff from the store, it’s crap. Just sayin’
I’m envious ever time you mention that you have an avocado tree at your disposal! Lucky girl. 🙂
STRAWBERRIES! My favorite thing as a kid was when we used to go to the strawberry fields in Chino/Ontario and get a flat for $20 and spend the whole week… er, three days… eating it all. NOM!
Live from Wisconsin–we eat more than cheese.
Huge outdoor farmer’s market in Madison started back up last weekend. In season–asparagus, greens, and many farmers grow produce in a greenhouse so cucs, toms, etc are all available now.
Great tip! Can’t wait for the sun to get here and go to some farmer’s markets!
I’m in WI and you are so right! Cheese is always in season…ALWAYS! And beer. Cheese and beer.
Pineapples! less than $2 right now and taste amazing. I think any fruit on pizza is amazing. I made a pear goat cheese pizza with honey a couple months ago!
I am Canadian and my maple syrup morning smoothie and polar bear meat burger attest to the fact that they are indeed both in season. I may also add that ice and snow are in season, and taste great in a maple smoothie!
I love that Whole Foods often labels their locally grown produce. I try really hard to buy that. I don’t think much is in season that’s grown in my area (Chicago), but soon we’ll have berries and sweet corn and other delicious treats. I can’t wait.
i also live in southern california and have been eating tons of avocados lately. they’re so delicious and cheap right now =)
We live close to Canada and it really is maple season!
🙂
I have a new love for avocados! I love strawberries!
I really never keep up with what’s in season
but I know that when prices go up they are not
and I usually choice other things lol
LOVE avocados! They’re definitely a favorite. 🙂
Yay! I love avocados and love to make guacamole when they are in season. I’m also glad that strawberries and cherries are in season, too. It’s going to be a yummy summer 🙂
Oh I love that strawberry pizza recipe. Pineapple is literally my favorite ingredient to put on a pizza, so I can’t wait to try strawberries!
I’ve never tried pineapples on pizza though I LOVE them. I’m going to put it on my list to try soon 🙂
I LOVE this just the tip! I think the best way, at least in the summer, to stay up to date on what’s available is to just go to the farmer’s market, walk around, ask questions, and pick up things that look familiar (and things that don’t – it’s the best, and often cheapest, place to experiment!)