Learn to enjoy your plate, depending on the seasons!

Recently, I've made a stunning realization: No matter the seasons; overall, my meals are all the same.

During both Summer and Winter, I regularly eat bananas, tomatoes, broccoli, celery, bell peppers, etc.

I buy pretty much the same fruits and vegetables, months after months, almost in an automatic way. Wow!

Are you experiencing the same thing too?

If so, I'd like to share with you my thoughts and solutions on the subject. Perhaps you'll want to rethink your way of shopping your groceries just like me?

Then, here's why you should vary your plates more, accordingly to the seasons:

1. A disconnection from the seasons

Think about it: is it normal that no matter how hot or freezing it is outside, your habits remain constant?

However, your body tends to want to eat fresher foods during Summer and more "comforting" foods during Winter.

By eating similar meals, just as I do, all year long, you're disconnecting from the different seasons and their cycle.

It may even make you feel more detached from the present moment or accentuate the feeling of not having fully enjoyed the season. Does this speak to you?

And that leads to the next point.

2. Less appreciation towards the content of your plate

As you always eat the same foods you bought from the grocery store, it's a common effect to start to enjoy them less than before.

First, the grocery store environment is very "cold" and impersonal.

In these conditions, it's very likely that you don't feel any positive feelings regarding the vegetables that you put in your basket.

I would even say that it may contribute to your food-wasting habits...

By not craving them, it's easier to forget them in the back of the fridge and then have to throw them away.

That’s why including more seasonal and local foods can be a great idea:

#1 Even if you buy local foods at the grocery store, it can still make you feel like you're a part of your community because they were cultivated near you.

#2 If you buy them in a public market, you'll be able to feel an even greater connection with your food. Also, you might even have spoken with the farmer himself!

The food looks fresher, and the fact that its appearance isn't perfect makes it look more "natural", and therefore, you're more likely to actually appreciate it.

And speaking of appreciation, if you enjoy flavorful tomatoes, you'll enjoy them even MORE during Summer than on a daily basis.


A quick tip: consider the production method.


Do you see all the benefits that come with eating seasonally? I'm sure you do.

Also, I'd like to add a little something: Yes, it's great to buy local food, but it's worth learning about the production method as well.

Let me explain! For example, In Quebec, during Winter, you can find greenhouse tomatoes in grocery stores. They do come from here, but unfortunately, they are often less ecological than those imported from elsewhere.

Why? Because they require more energy to cultivate.

That’s why it’s even more important to rely on the seasons than just “locally produced”.

As mentioned above, you will definitely enjoy your tomatoes even more once Summer arrives. There's also nothing stopping you from stocking up for Winter or simply buying them less often when it's off-season.

I really hope that got you thinking. This is already the first step towards change.

By Priscilia Vaillancourt
Writer at RAW Nutritional