Do you find yourself craving certain foods during certain points of the year? Do you want hearty soups during the wintertime and light, crisp salads in the spring/summer? Though you may not even do it intentionally, eating with the seasons has a number of benefits.

Springtime has us craving crisp veggies, fruits, and flavorful herbs.

Here’s a list of what’s in season this time of year:

• apricots
• avocado
• asparagus
• bananas
• broccoli
• cabbage
• garlic
• lemons
• limes
• lettuce
• mushrooms
• onions
• peas
• radishes
• rhubarb
• spinach
• strawberries
• swiss chard
• turnips

Eating seasonal produce encourages us to eat a varied diet. Rather than reaching for the same combination of fruits/vegetables every time you walk into the grocery store, eating seasonally encourages us to branch out and try new foods. According to the Cleveland Clinic, eating a varied diet exposes our bodies to different nutrients that we would miss out on if we ate the same foods every day.

Not only are there nutritional benefits to rotating your produce year-round, but your produce will likely taste better if it’s in season. Produce in grocery stores is often modified to keep up with demand, diminishing its taste. Choosing a fresher option without harmful additives is the most delicious and flavorful option.

According to WebMD, eating seasonally also has environmental benefits.

“Sticking to the earth’s seasonal growing routine also helps create sustainable eating patterns. Sustainable eating and seasonal eating go hand in hand: they both rely more on natural resources and less on artificial sources to provide food. Reducing food waste and encouraging long-term food planning are other goals of sustainable eating.”

Next time you go grocery shopping, consider referring back to this list of seasonal produce.

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