As the weather changes and the days are getting shorter, we tend to focus more on the quality of our food. Whether you’re trying to lose a little weight or just make some healthier choices, you’ll often hear people say it’s more expensive to eat healthy. While that is sometimes the case, it doesn’t always have to be. It’s easy to get caught up in all the “try me” healthy recipes we come across, but eating healthy is as simple as shopping what’s in season. How? Let’s take a closer look.
We live in a time where everything we could possibly ask for is at our fingertips or delivered to our door. However, if you go back to when times were simpler and many grew their own food, you will see they only ate fruits and vegetables they grew at that time. If they weren’t eating fresh vegetables, they were eating vegetables that were preserved when they were picked fresh from the garden. If you take a sales ad from your local grocery store and compare it to a list of fruits and vegetables that are currently in season you will find quite a difference in pricing. Produce that’s in season tends to be far less expensive than produce that isn’t. Why, you ask? That’s because when produce isn’t in season, especially locally, the produce has to travel further and pass through more hands to get to the store. That transportation isn’t free, so the price is added onto your grocery bill. If you want to find an even better deal on local, in season produce, shop your local farmer’s market. Not only are you supporting local businesses, you can also find out more information on the food you’re about to consume. A note to remember, still make sure when at the market you’re shopping only in-season, local produce. Some farmer’s markets may have some other vegetables shipped in as well.
While our lifestyles are extremely different than that of previous generations, there is something to say about how physically healthy they were. They had to hunt and gather anything they consumed. This alone kept them physically healthier than many of us considering we can reach into the freezer and press a button on the microwave without breaking a sweat. They were only able to eat what the land provided for them during any given season. This provided them with the proper energy, vitamins, and nutrition they needed to survive. While our ancestors didn’t live particularly long lives due to other circumstances, they were able to survive harsh climates as well as hard times. We can learn a lot from them.
Whether you already lead a fairly healthy lifestyle or you’re just learning what healthy can look like for you, don’t forget that “healthy” is 80% diet and 20% movement. Eating in season doesn’t just give you the proper nutrition you need, it also helps you save money on your grocery bill and may get you outside and moving a bit more to boot.