One of the biggest complaints I hear from people with regards to eating healthy is how expensive it is. I wrote this post back in January guiding you on how to choose which produce to buy organic versus non-organic. Buying organic can be pricey, so if you can only afford to buy some of your produce organic, choose the produce that has been shown to have the highest levels of pesticide residue on it when it’s non-organic.
Another really easy trick for keeping your grocery bill lower when you’re trying to eat clean is to buy foods that are in season. Nowadays, most foods are available year round thanks to advanced farming techniques and the ability for farmers to ship their products world-wide. While foods are available year round, you are definitely paying a higher price point to enjoy foods when they are not in season.
Benefits to eating foods that are in season:
- Affordability. The price of food goes down when it is easy to grow and the crops are more abundant. Eating produce that’s in season is a great way to keep your grocery bill down.
- Environmentally friendly. Foods that are grown locally have less of an impact on the environment, as they have less distance to travel to make it to your grocery store. It also takes less effort to grow foods during their ideal time of year, which also means less of an environmental footprint.
- Nutrient dense. Foods grown during their ideal season are picked at the peak point in the season and spend less time en route to the grocery store. Less time travelling means less time for the produce to lose nutrients and the freshly picked flavor.
Spring is here and amidst the season changes comes a new variety of produce to enjoy. This website is a great resource for determining what foods are in season in your area. Another really easy way to shop seasonally is to support local farmers and head to your closest farmer’s market.
Let me know what you thought of this post and happy eating!
