Summer Seasonal Foods

Summer is here, and you don’t need a reason to enjoy these foods as they’re in season!

In your quest to become a more sustainable eater, one of the low hanging “fruits” is buying seasonal produce. And summer in Florida is all about fruits.  A few minutes -- every few months -- is all it takes to raise awareness on the fruits and vegetables that are ripe for “the picking” at a particular time of the year.

Benefits

Eating seasonal foods has three main benefits:

• Better tasting food
• More nutritious food
• Lower emissions and energy use

Many of the compounds our taste buds crave diminish over time, as do textures. Nothing worse than a rubbery carrot. The nutrients in food are affected by time and how they are stored and transported. Many nutrients are negatively affected by temperature, light, and exposure to water. And finally, getting those blueberries to you in the heat of summer likely involved a trip from up North – using a ton of transportation and cold storage -- which eats up fossil fuels and money.

Oh – and you’ll generally find in-season produce to be cheaper. Sustainability pays!

Summer| What’s in season?

From July - September, keep your eyes out for these seasonal fruits, fungi, and nuts:

• Avocado | Florida Varieties
• Banana
• Bell Pepper
• Chili Pepper
• Eggplant
• Guava
• Mushrooms
• Mangoes
• Peanuts
• Oranges
• Passionfruit
• Sweet Potato
• Watermelon

Fun Fact | Mangoes

Mangoes are the most popular fruit in the world.  The fruit originates in India, where it is a symbol of love.  It’s rumored that the Buddha meditated under a mango tree.  Mangoes are high in Vitamins C & A and love to be covered in chili powder and salt.  Enjoy.