This past week I asked my Instagram audience what was the most frustrating thing about grocery shopping.
And the most common answer - the decrease in quality of the produce coupled with the increase in price.
It's like a double whammy.
I can't give you any real insight on why everything is so dang expensive right now but I can tell you why produce in general is more expensive now then it is during the warmer months.
If you think about it, we're in the middle of winter right now. Nothing really grows here during this time.
So most of the produce that you're seeing right now in grocery stores has been picked before it is ready, packaged into a plane or transport and shipped thousands of kilometres so that it can ripen during transport and then look appealing to us consumers here in Canada by the time they get to the store.
That's why the quality of your produce is just not there.
Along the same lines with the pricing. It takes much more labour and transport for us to get our produce now compared to the summer months. Think strawberries for example, not only do they taste SO much better in June/July when they're in season, they're typically cheeper too.
This is where seasonal eating comes into play.
What's seasonal eating?
Before food industrialization was a thing, there was no way for us to eat fresh produce this time of year.
We ate fruits and veggies that were preserved from the summer and ate heavy, comfort food type meals like chili and stews that kept our bodies warm and allowed us to cocoon and rest over winter.
Eating with the seasons means only eating what is in season during that month for your location.
It can be daunting and annoying to have to read all the labels and make sure to find produce that is grown locally, so I made a guide that tells you exactly what's in season every month of the year in Ontario.
Check it our here to grab it for free and let me know what your takeaways are.
I created this guide a few years ago and never really put it out into the world, so I'm doing that now.
I recommend printing it out and putting it next to your grocery list so that you don't forget about it and can double check as you make your list.
Above all else, if you decide to make the change and eat more seasonally, take it slowly. Don't expect to be able to switch everything you eat tomorrow, start with one meal a week where it only involves things that are in season, then two meals a week, then three meals a week, then one meal a day and so on.
And do what you feel is best for your family, we still buy bananas and oranges even though they aren't local or in season for us because we know the kids will eat and enjoy them.
Sometimes compromises are the best way forward.
