Summertime Eating

I try, as best as I can, to eat seasonally. With warm weather and summer approaching, I begin to consider the types of foods and menus that are appropriate for eating this time of year. Eating seasonally varies depending on where you live. I live in the Northeast, and so I enjoy four very different seasons. Seasonal cooking allows me to appreciate the freshest ingredients--and it’s a fact that fruits and vegetables grown near your home are generally healthier. Just consider the thousands of miles that produce from the west coast has to travel before it arrives in the Midwest or East Coast. During the summer months I buy my produce at a variety of farmer's markets. Over the years I've developed a relationship with the farmers whose vegetables I most enjoy, and learned where and how my vegetables will be grown and harvested. I support the farmers who grow organically because I believe that organic vegetables are the best for my body. I love to browse the market and I poke around the stands and notice what fruits and vegetables are available. I talk to the farmers—they are usually thrilled to tell me how they grow their produce. They will tell me if they use pesticides or follow more organic farming methods. Visiting the farmer’s market is the easiest way to determine what is seasonal where you live. During the summer months I normally eat lighter fare. The weather is hot and humid, and I am looking to cool down my body. I am outside more in the summer and tend to be more active. During these months, there is an abundance of juicy fruits and vegetables sprouting from the earth. During the warm months of summer, I tend to eat foods that have higher water content like fruits, lettuces, tomatoes, watermelon, cucumbers and large leafy greens. I also eat more raw vegetables and more cracked grains. Raw foods and fruit generally have a cooling effect on the body. Fruits and vegetables are abundant during the summer, so that is a clue that you might consider eating a variety of summer fruits and veggies. Everyone needs to be responsible for their own food intake and decide which foods work best for them. Just remember that variety is the key to a healthy body—eat different foods each day—and experiment with your diet. You can learn to create healthy, balanced, and delicious meals wherever you live.