A Guide to Eating Seasonally in Summer
Summer is the biggest growing season which means no more frozen berries or canned tomatoes, it’s time to buy FRESH! We’re talking v a r i e t y y’all. Finally!
Foods that are abundant in summer hydrate, refresh, and protect.
As a society, we no longer eat seasonally. We have access to strawberries all year round. We can go to the grocery store and get corn on the cob in the middle of January. We truly are living in luxury, but like most things, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily what’s best for us or the planet. In a way, I’m grateful for our modern advances which have allowed me to taste avocados and bananas and other amazing produce that I otherwise would never have the opportunity to try living in Ohio. But I’m also saddened by our complete disconnect from nature and where our food comes from.
I believe that eating seasonally is something that so desperately needs to be brought back into the rhythm of our lives.
Our disconnect from the food system is leading to a lack of nutrition and a reliance on convenience. It’s time to get back to the roots of local and sustainable eating, connecting with our food and its sources. I have found eating seasonally to be the best way to do this. And it’s not as hard or expensive as it sounds. It’s actually easy, healthier, cheaper, and more sustainable. Let’s dive in and see what it means to eat seasonally in the season of summer.
WHAT DOES EATING SEASONALLY MEAN?
Just because something is available in the grocery store doesn’t mean it’s in season and doesn’t mean we should be eating it.
God created certain fruits and vegetables to naturally flourish at a certain time of the year. Ecclesiastes 3:1 states, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” Eating seasonally means fully embracing the current season and the earth’s offerings during that time. Simply put, eating seasonally means eating the fruits and vegetables that naturally grow in abundance and organically during specific times of the year.
We aren’t used to eating this way. Like I said above, we have access to anything we want at any time of the year. I find this to fall in the same category of consumerism as purchasing a tee shirt from an unethical big name brand—it should be avoided.
Once you begin eating seasonally, you will feel more in tune with your body and the nutrients that it needs. You will be able to feel your body’s natural cravings transition with each season, which will in turn bring health and alignment.
WHY IS EATING SEASONALLY IMPORTANT?
IT ALIGNS OUR BODY WITH NATURE
Eating food that is not in season can go as far as throwing your mind and body out of alignment. You know that antsy, frantic, agonizing feeling of wishing for warmer weather when it’s cold? Or wishing for colder weather when it’s hot? By fully syncing not only our day-to-day habits with the current season, but also our eating habits, we will find it easier to enjoy the current season, no matter the weather or hardships.
Aligning our eating habits with this truth will lead to better nutrition, increased energy, and the ability to find the gift of each season.
IT’S SUSTAINABLE
Produce that is out-of-season is firstly, forced to grow when it’s not its natural time to grow. This means more chemicals are used, as well as more energy and resources. Secondly, the out-of-season produce is shipped very far distances to reach our grocery store shelves. For example, tomatoes can’t grow in Northern America in the winter or early spring, so in order to get them to our grocery stores we have to source them from Chile or Mexico. That’s a far trip that uses a lot of resources and creates lots of carbon emission.
IT’S HEALTHIER
Like we mentioned above, because out-of-season produce is shipped from far away, the produce has to be prematurely picked before it’s ripe. Studies show that prematurely picked produce lacks nutrients compared to in-season produce that is grown naturally and allowed to ripen on the plant. Not only is in-season produce healthier but it tastes better too. If you’ve ever tasted a winter berry or tomato, you know what I mean. It only makes sense that God’s way of doing things results in a healthier, tastier, more sustaining outcome.
Foods that are in-season contain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that your body specifically needs for that current season.
For example, in the summer we’re out in the sun a lot more and our bodies need protection from the harmful rays (rather than wearing sunscreen and blocking the good rays too…learn more here!) All of the fruits and veggies that are in season in the summer contain some benefit or another that protects our bodies from the inside out.
Tomatoes for example, are an excellent source of lycopene and beta-carotene which protects our skin from environmental and UV damage.
Blueberries are in season in the summer and are super high in antioxidants which protects our bodies from free radicals that cause cancer, aging, and other diseases.
Watermelon, cherries, apricots, and more also protect your body from UV damage. Isn’t that amazing? God created a way for us to eat our sunscreen instead of wearing it.
In the summer our bodies need more liquids and more energy because of the increased heat. Naturally, summer foods are hydrating and nutrient-packed, like melons and cucumbers that are mostly water!
The list goes on. Eating in-season food creates an environment for our bodies to thrive in the current season. Simple as that!
IT’S CHEAPER
Produce that is in season is in abundance and local, therefore prices are often cheaper. Price is a good indicator of whether or not something is in season when you’re at the grocery store. For example, you may notice that when it’s strawberry season in late spring/early summer, the strawberries will most likely be sourced from somewhere nearby, therefore having to travel less of a distance. This makes them cheaper. When strawberries from California and Florida start showing up in my grocery store, rather than from Mexico and Chile, and they are also on sale or for a good price, that’s a key indicator of strawberry season. But when you see a tiny pack of strawberries for $6 in the middle of January, that’s because they are not in season, therefore it took a lot of energy and resources to grow them and to ship them, which is why they’re so expensive.
Produce that’s not in season is not in abundance because it’s not its natural growing season and environment, which all leads to increased price. Not only will sticking to seasonal foods help your health, but it will save you money as well!
HOW DO I EAT SEASONALLY IN SUMMER?
Like I mentioned, summer is the season of abundance. There are very few things that are not in season. As long as you’re not eating cranberries or pomegranates or winter squash (I really saw butternut squash at the grocery store the other day…come on now it’s July!), you’re on track to eating seasonally in the summertime. Rather than buying frozen berries or canned tomatoes like you would in the winter, you can buy all of your produce fresh in the summer. The best way to know whether or not something is in season is to go to a local farmers market or click the button below:
Planning your meals and shopping lists around what is in season will make a big difference. I love using Pinterest to find seasonal meals. It may also be handy to print out a list of what’s in season and hang it up on your fridge. I’ve created 4 FREE printables that you will be sent straight to your inbox when you fill out the form below!
Do you have to be absolutely perfect with this? Of course not! If you are new at this, making the switch to eating seasonally doesn’t mean you need to restrict or eliminating anything. Looking at it like that will only set you back. Instead, replace and “crowd out” out-of-season foods with in-season foods. The more you do so, the more you’ll get the hang of it. Start by focusing on what’s in season in summer, purchase those things, base your meals around them, and then fill in the gaps from there. You’re doing great!
With care,
Kaetlyn
