![]() Regions farther from the equator, for example, experience summer, winter, fall, and spring. However, it is important to consider that some countries, like the US, have varying climates throughout the year. Many countries have seasonal produce guides based on national production cycles. These pumpkins may be considered seasonal in the US, but the distance they need to travel to reach the US offsets some of the economic and ecological benefits of eating foods grown in your region. However, to meet the demand for pumpkins, the US imports about one-third of its pumpkins from Mexico. For example, pumpkins are considered seasonal in the fall. It is possible to eat produce that is considered seasonal but that was produced thousands of miles away. However, many popular seasonal food retail stores can also meet needs by shipping produce from across the country or importing it. Often when we eat seasonally, we are also eating locally. The Connection Between Local and Seasonal Produce Keep the potential impact of your produce purchasing decisions, which we address later in this article, in mind when buying your produce to make the most nutritious, ecologically sound, and economically fair choice to take advantage of the benefits of eating locally. Ultimately, consumers decide whether the food they purchase is local enough. Food produced in a similar environment to the one you are living or staying in.Other ways to define local food is that which is: However, it is important to remember that food systems’ acceptance of foods in diverse populations is very complex, and sticking to distance to define local foods could be limiting. A 2015 study showed that most city populations in the US could be fed by foods produced within 100 miles of them. The US Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 defines local foods as a locally or regionally produced agricultural food product consumed less than 400 miles from its origin or within the state in which it is produced.Įven so, some organizations define local foods as those produced within 100 miles or within the state. Today, the food travels an average of 1,500 miles before reaching a plate. Sixty years ago, about 70 percent of the produce found in markets and grocery stores in the US and much of Europe was grown, produced, and processed within 100 miles of the point of sale. Over the past six decades, global food systems have changed significantly. In this article, we focus on local seasonal produce, which has the most ecological and economic benefits in addition to comparable nutritional benefits. Temperature variation over the year affects the production cycles of fruits and vegetables, so, in a particular region, different foods grow better at different times of the year.Īccording to research published in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, “Seasonality can be defined as either globally seasonal (i.e., produced in the natural production season but consumed anywhere in the world) or locally seasonal (i.e., produced in the natural production season and consumed within the same climatic zone).” Seasonal produce includes fruits and vegetables available during different months of the year. In this article, we define local and seasonal food explain the research and science behind the benefits of eating local, seasonal produce and suggest ways to include more of these fruits and vegetables in your diet. ![]() Eating local, seasonal produce has tremendous benefits for your nutrition, the environment, the local economy, and even your bank account.
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