The benefits of eating large quantities of fruits and vegetables have become well-known. However, certain types of produce are best consumed at certain times of the year. This is why the idea of eating seasonally has become so popular. Eating soggy dark purple strawberries and light green broccoli is never anyone’s first choice. So, when eating seasonally, meals are centered around freshly harvested, in-season produce. Choosing in-season foods enables food-lovers to create and savor bright, vivacious meals.
Eating seasonally is not just good for the gut but it’s also cheaper, and the produce is tastier and cheaper. For example, strawberries, blueberries and apricots are naturally harvested in the summer, so they have the best flavor and texture at this time of the year. Hard squashes such as butternut and acorn are grown in the winter and asparagus is known as a spring vegetable.
One of the best and easiest ways to eat seasonally is to go shopping at local farmers markets.
Manchester has one beginning in May in a park behind Elm Street. Those wanting to get started before the market opens for the season can always shop at the Fruit Center on Webster Street, which focuses on daily produce. Many specialty supermarkets, such as Whole Foods Market, also carry local produce. SNHU Sodexo services also try to get as much fresh, local produce as they can.
Kristen Chulada, the campus dietitian at SNHU, said: “Sodexo does their best to get local produce” as often as possible, even though the dining center needs to keep up with such high demands.
Sodexo is doing what it can to encourage eating seasonally, but students moving off-campus for the summer should visit local farmer’s markets to pick up local produce for all your favorite dishes.
