How to Shop Seasonally

 When you walk into the grocery store are you suddenly overwhelmed by the rows and rows of produce? With all the talk of GMO's, Imported Produce, Natural, No artificial Ingredients, Fat-Free, Sugar-Free, No added hormones, Organic, Locally Supported, Farm Fresh, and ever other marketing word the big companies throw out us. How do we really know what we're buying? It's all pretty confusing so the best way to learn to shop is seasonally. And yeah it's hard in the winter cause there isn't as much to choose from and but now that our growing season is in full swing and summer is officially only three weeks away you can buy now and stock up for winter by preserving, canning, and freezing for the winter months.(Coming soon to another post!) And yes sometimes we do need to buy out season and that's perfectly fine!Why shop seasonally? In season fruits, vegetables, and herbs are cheaper, better tasting, picked at their peak of ripeness to get all their possible nutrients, they're easier to find, and not trucked across the country or world saves on greenhouse gas emissions and freshness.You can shop seasonally easily at farmers markets, local grocery stores will often sell produce from local farms, or most health food stores carry local produce if a farmers market is not close to you. You can start you own garden and if you don't have enough room in your backyard, you can always grow in containers. Garden growing in containers has gotten easier and easier over the years, There are even specific kinds of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and peppers perfect for container gardening and herbs are easily grown in containers. You can even join a local CSA. (Community Supported Agriculture) Normally local farmers use little or no pesticides on their farms, making it a better choice for you and your family.Here is a list of how to shop and what to buy seasonably. Some produce may vary to your location and region. And some seasons overlap and you can find them in multiple seasons throughout the year. Bonus!Spring:Apricots, Asparagus, peas, strawberries, mixed greens, mint, mushrooms, leeks, lemons, artichokes, spring and green onions, parsley, spinach, root vegetables, kale, rhubarb, lettuce, grapefruit, potatoes.Summer:avocados, peppers, basil, okra, peaches, cherries, blueberries, melons, garlic, carrots, figs, egg plants, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, cilantro, mangoes, lima beans, celery, nectarines, and corn. Fall:Broccoli, cauliflower, shallots, pumpkins, grapes, pomegranates, limes, fennel, endive, chilies, collards, cranberries, winter squash, kohlrabi, salad turnips, swiss chard, apples.Winter:beets, turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, pears, onions, horseradish, clementines, cabbage, escarole, citrus, mandarin oranges, sweet potatoes.For more information on seasonal vegetables visit http://www.beta-primal-palate.com