Put Some In-Season Produce on Your Holiday Plate!
The Robb Garden on the University of the Pacific Stockton campus provides in-season options for students and community members year round. The produce is picked fresh and is available for free to students on Wednesdays from 10:30am-12:20pm.
As a child, my favorite part of any season was always eating the fresh fruits and vegetables that were in season. My family would pile in the car and we would drive out to my uncle’s farm to pick pumpkins, apples, and sunflowers. Eating in-season produce is beneficial in many different ways; it is better tasting as well as healthier for people and the environment.
When you walk into your local supermarket, you probably see some items that are there year round: strawberries, blueberries, squash, etc. In order for these delicious items to be available to you at all times, they are imported from other countries around the world. Have you ever heard of avocados from Mexico? While this variety is nice for the consumer, the transportation of this produce creates excess carbon emissions which will further increase our problems with global climate change. By eating local in-season choices, you are greatly decreasing your carbon footprint.
Allowing fruits and vegetables to fully ripen before being picked maximises their flavor. In order for these items to be transported across different countries, they need to be picked before they are fully ripe and while they are still firm. Enjoying local in-season products will provide you with the freshest tasting items for cooking and snacking.
The difference in nutritional values of ripe and unripe fruits and vegetables are actually quite small. However, eating ripe in-season produce is still worth it. Eating in-season produce reduces your carbon footprint which makes our planet healthier. Ripe food also tastes better which encourages the consumption of fresh food. Some people who do not like vegetables are just eating the wrong vegetables at the wrong time.
So what is in-season now?
According to the California Harvest Calendar, these 16 items are ripe for picking around the holiday season and into the early spring in California’s Central Valley.
Beets
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cilantro
Fennel
Grapefruit and lemons (most citrus fruits can be picked in December and January)
Kale
Leeks
Peas
Radishes
Spinach
Turnips
Winter squash varieties
Look out for these treats at your farmers market or grocery store that sells local products. Some vegetables, like carrots, are also easy to grow in your own backyard. Any one of these in-season fruits or vegetables would make a tasty addition to your holiday plate!
