By Dinah Torres Castro
Long Island is a truly unique area of New York State. We have access to all kinds of food, including fresh fish and seafood. Now that the local Farmer’s Markets are open, we can access the freshest fruits and vegetables right in our own communities. Many of us already know that eating fresh is best, but here are more reasons that will reassure you about getting the most for your money, health, and nutrition:
- Amazing flavor—when you eat freshly picked produce, flavor is at its peak. Vegetables are crispiest, most fragrant, juiciest, and colorful when eaten in season!
- Optimal nutrition—vegetables that are picked when they are ripe and fully developed have been exposed to more sun. They have higher levels of antioxidants, so you are getting more nutrition from veggies by eating them in season.
- It’s economic—you save money. It’s simple…when there is an abundance of a product, prices go down. Seasonal food is much cheaper to produce, and farmers would rather sell at a lower price than not at all. Take advantage and choose seasonal foods.
- Helps our environment—seasonal foods are more likely to be locally grown and not trucked or flown in from far away (which can add to their cost and be harmful to our environment).
- Helps our community—farmer’s markets are great places to create feelings of community and teach your children about where foods come from. It can also give farmers a chance to share their knowledge and engage with our local communities.
- Fosters home cooking—eating seasonal foods encourages us to cook more and make better choices. Cooking at home gives us more control over what is in our food. You get to control how much salt, fat, or sugar you put into your food.
- Encourages us to be more creative—eating seasonally challenges us to get more creative and come up with new, fun, and delicious dishes based on what you find at the market.
- Adds variety to our diets—our bodies get more nutrients, vitamins, and minerals when we eat a wider variety of foods. We may miss nutrients if we only eat the same old stuff all the time.
- Eating seasonally help us to support our changing needs—the natural cycle of produce is perfectly designed to support our health needs throughout the year. We associate apples with fall because apples ripen and are plentiful at that time of year. They are a perfect food to help our bodies get rid of excess heat and cool down before winter. In spring we have an abundance of leafy green vegetables that help us alkalize, detox, and lose some extra pounds after a long winter of heavier foods. In the summer our bodies need to cool down and stay hydrated. We have plenty of choices like fruits, berries, cucumbers, and watermelons available to help us stay cool and hydrated.
So take advantage of the fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables in your supermarkets and local farmer’s markets. For a list of local farmer’s markets, follow the link below:
http://ccesuffolk.org/nutrition-and-health/fmnp-farmers-markets-in-suffolk-county
Dinah Castro is a Bilingual Family Well-Being Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program. She can be reached at 631-727-7850 ext. 351 or at dc258@cornell.edu.