5 Reasons You Should Try Seasonal Eating This Fall

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There’s a lot of talk about eating seasonally in the wellness world. Is it a fad, or is this something we really ought to be doing?

If you aren’t sure whether this is for you or if it’s worth the effort, these 5 reasons you should eat seasonally this Fall might sway you.

1. Seasonal Foods are Better for You

Let’s get the million-dollar-question out of the way. Is eating seasonally actually better for your health? The answer is simple: yes.

There are a couple of reasons for this. The first one is that non-seasonal foods are picked before they are ripe. While many fruits and vegetables keep ripening after harvest or are artificially ripened, food that matures on the plant is more nutritious. As in literally, they contain more nutrients.

Now for the second reason. I think we can all agree that nothing happens in nature by coincidence.

Insects feed on flower nectar, allowing them to pollinate other flowers, thus keeping the species thriving.

Trees produce oxygen which allows us to breathe and stay alive.

Mangroves stabilize sediments, protecting shores from flooding and other adverse weather effects.

And foods grow at certain times of the year to give us the nutrients our body needs in that season.

Trust that nature knows what’s good for you because it does.

2. You Sync Your Body With the Season

There’s something quite beautiful about living in sync with nature, and it has many benefits. Eating seasonal foods is a practice that allows us to do precisely that.

Why not take it one step further and sync your sleep, exercise, and living patterns with the Fall season? This could mean going to bed earlier, waking up with the sun, taking on a more gentle form of movement, or embracing our more introverted side.

This is how our ancestors lived, and it will do wonders for your physical and mental health, as it allows you to flow through life in a way that feels more natural and less forced.

3. It Helps the Environment

Produce that is out of season is forced to grow in hostile conditions since it is not its natural time to grow. And we all know how difficult it is to thrive in hostile conditions! This usually means lots of harmful chemicals must be used, the soil is used and abused, and more energy and resources are needed.

Not to mention the greenhouse gas emissions from shipping produce halfway across the world!

Looking after the planet and looking after our health are synonymous. We cannot thrive unless nature thrives. Eating seasonally means less human intervention, and that equals good.

4. It’s Easier on the Wallet

Eating seasonally is much cheaper! Have you noticed how much a pack of strawberries costs in the Winter? Too much, that’s how much! But there’s a reason for that. Think of all the resources and energy needed to grow them, then ship them to your local supermarket.

Seasonal produce doesn’t have that problem. It grows right where you are and requires a lot less human involvement. As a result, the production cost is much lower, and the savings are passed on to the consumer: you.

5. It Allows You to Reconnect

Eating seasonally allows you to reconnect with the food you put into your body. Have a conversation with the farmer who grew it, or trace the farm it was produced at and learn more about it. You could probably even visit the place it was grown if you wanted to (or, at the very least, check it out on Google Maps).

But it goes deeper than that.

We are so disconnected from our lives, let alone the food we eat. We are used to having everything we want when we want it, and when we don’t receive that instant gratification, we become irritable. That’s when we start to disconnect and resort to addictive behaviors.

Not only that, we spend a lot of time wishing our days away. Wishing it were warmer, colder, wishing we were elsewhere.

Eating seasonally allows us to reconnect with the Earth, remember our roots, and live more simply. It allows us to embrace each season fully and enjoy the gifts it brings.

How to Buy In-Season Produce

Hopefully, you’ve now concluded that you absolutely must eat seasonally. And that’s great. I want to help you do that by giving you a few tips on where to find local food and how to know what’s currently growing near you.

So here goes. Where can you find seasonal produce?

• Farmers markets in your town: Shop around, ask questions, spot produce you’ve never seen before, and try it. Bonus: your money goes straight to the people who grow your food; no middleman!

• Small independent organic stores: Organic stores tend to stock mostly or exclusively seasonal produce. They’ll usually know where the food comes from, too, so you can get to know your food’s origins.

• Supermarkets: Of course, good ol’ supermarkets will also do the trick. A good rule of thumb is to look for cheap produce. Whatever is the most affordable is usually the in-season stuff. But when in doubt, check out the following resource.

The Seasonal Food Guide can help you discover which foods grow seasonally in your area. It also contains many valuable tips and resources to help you eat seasonally (including a handy app that you can use to scan produce!).

Moving gracefully into the Fall season

To summarize, eating seasonally is good for your health, pocket, mind, soul… and the planet. What’s not to love?

I do think it’s worth mentioning that this isn’t about perfection. Nobody expects you to swear off eating cranberries in the Winter. It’s about making a choice to eat seasonally more often than not and trying your best. A small step for you, a giant leap for your health and that of the planet.

The Fall is an opportunity to slow down and recuperate after a vibrant and busy Summer. I love using different rituals and practices to mindfully transition into Fall to ensure I’m giving my body and mind the support they need at this time. Eating seasonally is one of them. I hope you’ll find this helps you too.