Therefore strive that your actions day by day may be beautiful prayers.
—‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Nowadays, grocery stores look almost the same all year long. You can buy peaches and strawberries even in January. Why does it matter what we eat? Well, have you eaten a peach or strawberry in winter? Usually, they don’t taste good. Also, some physicians say food grown in season is healthier. There may be more nutrients and fewer chemicals. Food grown in season is often less expensive because at the peak of the season there is more supply.
While these are some good arguments to consider, they may not be that compelling. The most important reason is that by our food choices we collectively have an influence on whether our grandchildren will have any food to eat. Why? Climate change is affecting agriculture and will have an even more harmful impact in the future because it causes droughts, heatwaves, floods, unpredictable rainfall, increasing pests, and decreasing pollinators. When we eat food that is in season, it is more likely that it has not traveled halfway around the globe, so we can avoid some carbon emissions that cause climate change.
And by choosing seasonal produce, we support local agriculture on which we may increasingly be dependent. So enjoy the tasty fruit and vegetables that are in season now—in the US for example: blueberries, cucumbers, peaches, and zucchini!
