August 31, 2020

Eating With The Seasons: September

August 31, 2020

I’m happy to say that, here in Vermont, summer is still in full swing. The temperatures have still been in the 80’s and the garden is loving it. This has been one of the best tomato growing seasons for me so far. In part, because I doubled my garden beds and doubled the plants and varieties I grew. But also, I have never produced more from my tomato plants. I think the trend towards longer hotter summers is at least helping the northern vegetable gardener. So get ready for a lot of tomato recipes!

September for me, is a wistful month. It starts with the last breaths of summer, the armloads of produce, buzzing bees, and gold toned flowers. It ends with geese flying south, crackling fires, and amber hues and warm pumpkin spices. But happily it is a month when there is so much in season. Here’s a look at what’s in season to cook in September.

Seasonal Eating

As the world around us shifts with the seasons, so do the foods that are harvested. It should only make sense then, that our eating follows this same pattern. Seasonal eating is when you eat foods at the time of year that they are harvested. This is something that we tend to do naturally, eating pumpkin in fall for instance, or asparagus in spring. But did you know that seasonal eating throughout the year can improve your health and the environment?

The Benefits Of Seasonal Eating

In Season Produce Tastes Better

Eating foods that are harvested when they are ripe in their local growing season simply taste better. Out of season produce on the other hand is picked early, stored in cold storage for months, and sometimes travels long distances to reach you. In season fruits and vegetables are allowed to ripen fully before being harvested, which improves not only their flavor, but their nutrition too.

Eating Seasonally Improves Nutrition

Allowing produce to ripen fully before harvesting maximizes its nutrient availability (the amount that your body is able to process.) It is at it’s maximum right after harvest, so eating fruits and vegetables right after they are picked is better for you. As the time from harvest increases, the nutrient availability decreases, sometimes by as much as 30-50%.

Seasonal Eating Supports Gut Health

Eating seasonally means that you are eating foods as they become available from season to season, or month to month. This means that instead of eating the same foods all year round, you are eating a varied mix, diversifying your diet. Studies have shown that human microbiomes change in accordance with the seasons, and that eating seasonally can help promote proper gut bacteria and improve health. For more on the importance of gut health click here.

Seasonal Eating Is Better For The Environment

Eating out of season and non-local produce not only decreases the nutritional value of the foods, it also increases the carbon footprint of them. Out of season produce can be kept in cold storage for months, using energy to preserve it. Non-local produce often must be flown or shipped long distances to reach you. increases their carbon footprint.