Seasonal Produce: You Can't Beat the Flavor or the Price

When it comes to selecting fresh produce, it's all too easy to get into a rut. With the globalization of agriculture, seasonal fruit and vegetables are a thing of the past. Fresh produce can be flown into our local supermarkets from around the world, and we are no longer exposed to the seasonal limitations imposed by Mother Nature. Strawberries in January? No problem! Oranges in July? Ditto!

Those who advocate buying and eating only locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables often speak from a position of reducing carbon emissions from planes, trains, and trucks used to transport produce around the world. Others buy locally because they want to reduce our dependence on big agribusiness and instead support small farms near where they live. While both viewpoints are valid, there are four other great arguments for buying and cooking vegetables and fruits that are grown locally: diversity, flavor, price, and nutrition.

Diversity

When produce is available year-round, we tend not to experiment with seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables. If zucchini is always front and center, we can easily overlook the pattypan and yellow crookneck summer squashes, or the dense butternut and acorn squashes of the winter. Similarly, why try persimmons, kiwifruit, or quince if seedless grapes are easy to buy and always available? Eating seasonal produce not only creates an awareness of the shifting seasons, but also challenges us to expand our culinary horizons and try new techniques for cooking vegetables.

Flavor

Although many of us grew up and live far from agricultural areas, anyone who has ever plucked an apricot from a tree and tasted the warmth of the sun along with the sweet juiciness of the fruit knows that seasonal produce has exponentially more flavor than fruit and vegetables that are flown in and stored in produce warehouses. There is much chest thumping and lamenting about how Americans don't eat enough fresh fruit and vegetables, but few acknowledge that flavor is all too often sacrificed for the sake of appearance. In many instances, strains are cultivated for their ability to withstand transport and for a uniform appearance; in other cases, transport times dictate that fruits have to be plucked when they're green, preventing them from developing the full-bodied flavor that nature intended. Just think - when was the last time you enjoyed the tender juiciness of a vine-ripened tomato or the succulence of a ripe pineapple just off the plant?

Price

When compared with pre-packaged foods and snacks, fresh fruit and vegetables are always a bargain. Nonetheless, seasonal produce is even less expensive than that which is flown in from halfway around the world. Patronize a local farmer's market, and you not only get produce bursting with flavor, but you can also buy it at a fraction of the cost of your local supermarket.

Nutrition

Science is beginning to substantiate what local food aficionados have long felt: plant-ripened produce has more nutrients than produce that is picked before it's ripe and transported. Fresh fruits and vegetables are already jam-packed with nutrition, but why not get an extra kick by eating seasonally and locally?

The rationale for eating seasonal and locally grown produce is varied, but whichever way you look at it, fresh produce can't be beat.

Produce: The Roots of Good Health

Even if we roll our eyes when we hear it, "Eat your veggies" is a maxim that we'd be well advised to heed. Our mothers and grandmothers instinctively knew that fresh fruit and vegetables were good for us, and science has reinforced the value of fresh produce in keeping our bodies in peak condition. Nevertheless, we often skimp on eating root vegetables, either because they seem boring or we don't know how to best prepare them. These nutrition-packed powerhouses are worth a second look, though. Here's an overview that will hopefully inspire you to reach for the roots when you're in the produce section of your grocery store. Captivating Carrots Oh, the ubiquitous carrot. Baby carrots are peeled, washed, and sealed in plastic bags for a no-fuss, no-muss snack. But carrots aren't given credit for their variety or versatility. For example, not all carrots are orange. The next time you want to experiment, be on the lookout for white, yellow, red, and even purple carrots. They can be used in recipes, or to add vibrant color to your plates. Speaking of recipes, carrots can be more than an afterthought for a salad or to enrich and add flavor to broths. Carrots give breads, muffins, and cakes a wonderful moistness, texture, and flavor, and cold carrot soup can be a refreshing taste treat on a hot summer day. Throw grated carrots, cream cheese, and grated onion into a food processor and spread on toast points for a delicious appetizer. Step into the future with a carrot mousse or flashback to the past with pickled carrots. Let your imagination fly and you'll rediscover these colorful treasures. Radical Rutabagas and Tasty Turnips Although the Finns and Swedes cook rutabagas with aplomb, the rutabaga and turnip aren't in most Americans repertoires when it comes to cooking vegetables. Sure, turnip greens are a staple of the delicious cuisine of the South, but what to do with the root? Rutabagas are actually a cross between turnips and cabbages, although they are most often used like a turnip in cooking. Either rutabagas or turnips can be cooked and added to mashed potatoes to enhance their flavor and nutrition. Try turnip custard, or combine apples and rutabagas for a delicious baked casserole. Use rutabagas in a spice cake or bread, or make a seasoned puree and serve it with a meat dish. Hearty Jicama Like the carrot, the jicama is often relegated to the salad bar. But this sweet, starchy, and refreshing root vegetable is a wonderful addition to stir-fry or potato salad. Much of jicama's appeal is its unique crunchy texture, so grate it, cube it, or julienne it to add zazz to cold dishes. Toss jalapeno with vinegar, cilantro, and jalapeno, and then place grilled shrimp over a bed of jicama. Delectable! Other Nutrition-Packed Roots When visiting the fresh produce section of your grocery store, don't overlook other roots that have taken a back seat to other fresh fruit and vegetables. Beets, parsnips, and radishes also offer culinary delights, so embrace their versatility and their ability to get you excited about eating your veggies!

Produce Powerhouses: Fruit and Vegetables that Pack a Nutritional Punch

Everyone knows that consuming fresh fruit and vegetables can help us lead long and healthy lives. But most people don't know that, when it comes to nutrition, all produce isn't created equal. Indeed, some fruit and vegetables are much more nutritionally dense than others. Given that we tend not to eat all of the fruit and veggies that we should, it's important to make sure that those we choose pack the biggest nutritional bang possible. Here are some that always come out on top: Vitamin A: When it comes to Vitamin A, which plays a critical role in many of the body's functions, including vision, bone growth, and the immune system, carrots always win the race. A half-cup of carrot juice provides 450% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of Vitamin A; one raw carrot will give you 175% of the RDA. Spinach, kale, cantaloupe, pumpkin, and apricots come in a respectable, though distant, second. There's only one food that beats out carrots: beef liver. Really, which would you rather have? Vitamin B6: To a large extent, Americans get most of their B vitamins from fortified cereals. The Vitamin B group is critical to many cell functions, and is instrumental in, for example, carrying oxygen to tissues. Good sources of Vitamin B6 include potatoes (35% RDA) and bananas (34% RDA). Folate, another B vitamin, can be found in spinach, asparagus, mustard greens, green peas, and broccoli. Vitamin E: Vitamin E is known for its antioxidant properties and protects cells from the effects of free radicals. Spinach and other leafy green vegetables, broccoli, kiwifruit, and mango are all good sources of Vitamin E. Iron: This abundant metal is critical in delivering oxygen to tissues, as well as in cell growth. Legumes (like beans and lentils) are great sources of iron, as is spinach. Popeye needed to keep the blood flowing to his muscles, right? Magnesium: About half of the body's magnesium is in the bones, but the other half helps keeps organs functioning smoothly, the metabolism humming along, and tissues healthy. When it comes to fresh produce and magnesium, the greener the better. That's because the molecules that give green vegetables their color contain magnesium. However, bananas, potatoes, and avocados also contain magnesium. Vitamin C: Vitamin C is crucial for a healthy metabolism and is has wonderful antioxidant properties. Although we often association the vitamin with citrus fruits like oranges, there are many other fresh fruit and vegetables that have higher concentrations of Vitamin C. Guava, red peppers, and blackberries are wonderful sources of Vitamin C, as are broccoli and kiwifruit. It's important to keep in mind that, if you want to get the most vitamins and minerals from your produce, you should eat it raw. Cooking vegetables drastically reduces their nutritional content, so if you must cook them, try stir-frying or steaming. Likewise, because many nutrients sit close to the skins of vegetables, try to avoid peeling them. Instead, give them a quick scrub with a veggie brush and some water, and eat the skins and all.