Eating Seasonal

Even in the middle of winter, it's easy to find strawberries and tomatoes and other colorful produce at the supermarket. But the appearance and flavor of a strawberry purchased in January is a far cry from the vibrant, juicy fresh-picked fruit you had in June.

That's because a lot of the fruits and veggies found at the grocery store year-round are out of season in Illinois, so they have been shipped from California or Florida or even South America, where such crops are still growing strong long after the Midwest growing season ends. By the time they reach the supermarket, these products were picked days or weeks ago and have traveled hundreds, even thousands, of miles. No wonder those "fresh" tomatoes purchased in winter are mushy and flavorless.

By purchasing freshly picked, in-season foods from local farmers, you can enjoy the health and flavor benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables. At the same time, you're supporting local agriculture and forgoing the environmental damage of shipping food long distances.

Stop by your local farmer's market this week in honor of National Farmer's Market Week or anytime there's a market in your area to find the best seasonal produce.

Or if you're still not sure what fruits and veggies you should be buying this time of year. Sustainable Table lets you search what's growing by state and season. And the Epicurious Seasonal Ingredient Map makes it easy to get the scoop on this month's produce picks.

For recipe ideas that match the season, check out the Epicurious Seasonal Recipe Planner or Harvesteating.com. And follow along with Grist's Jennifer Prediger as she attempts seasonal cooking in the Urbivore's Dilemma series.

What are you waiting for? Get to the farmer's market this week!

Photo: thebittenword via Flickr