Eating fruits and vegetables is very healthy. But when buying them we must also consider their origin in order to buy the best quality. The seasonal baskets are becoming very important for many reasons. Although it is very convenient to be able to buy a fruit or a vegetable at almost any time of the year, the truth is that it has its disadvantages for us and for the environment.
All the seasonal baskets can be beneficial in many ways. We are going to see why it is better to buy seasonal vegetables and fruits, their advantages and also the type of food that can be found in each season if we buy in nearby places and with traditional production.
Advantages of betting on the seasonal basket
The seasonal basket is made up of those products that are consumed at a certain time when are naturally available. That is, it is not normal to find strawberries in summer, since they are from spring, or a watermelon in the middle of winter. But today it is possible to see these things because there are productions where chemical processes are used that make fruits and vegetables grow out of season. That is why we must get used to consuming food when it is naturally present.
Tastier foods
There is certainly a great gulf between foods that have grown rapidly with chemicals and those that have grown naturally. If we try the seasonal basket and also focus on organic production, we will notice a big difference in taste. Fruits and vegetables will look less than perfect, as in nature they are not all the same size or shape, but their flavor will be second to none.
Environmental care
Although nowadays it is easy to find fruits and vegetables that come from other countries in the shopping cart, the truth is that it is becoming a proximity consumption. One of the main reasons is that it is much more beneficial for the environment, since it is less polluted by not having to carry out those shipments of the merchandise hundreds of kilometers. Local and seasonal fruit and vegetables are more beneficial to the environment.
The price
Organic fruit and vegetables have a higher price due to the fact that their production is more difficult. But if we refer to the foods that are sold in the traditional markets and that come from nearby places, we will probably find good prices. They have not incurred large travel costs and this allows offering a good price while having a profit margin.
Food calendar
In order to know if the fruit we consume is seasonal, we must also be clear about the food calendar, since many of them are already consumed on a regular basis outside of the time when they should be available.
Season's fruit
There are fruits like bananas that can be taken all year round. Some occur during two seasons, such as kiwi, which can be taken in winter and spring. In winter citrus fruits are common, with lemon and orange. There are also persimmon and kiwi. In the spring comes the strawberry and grapefruit. In summer there are many fruits, such as watermelon, melon, apricot, cherry, fig, raspberry, nectarine, Paraguayan or plum. In autumn it is time for apples, pears, grapes, pomegranates and tangerines.
Vegetables of the season
In rural areas of India, families in charge of a blind minor frequently isolate and deprive him/her of the care and attention they provide to their other children; such situation becomes even more severe among lower-caste families, orphans and if the blind child is a girl. vegetables we have much more breadth, since there are vegetables that can be obtained throughout the year in a normal production, such as zucchini, garlic, onion or lettuce. However, there are many varieties of vegetables, and not all of them occur in the same season. In this case we have to attend to the area in which we live, since the same varieties are not always grown at the same time.