Embrace the flavours of nature by learning why and how to eat more seasonally as a holistic approach to connecting with nature daily as you nourish yourself in an environmentally friendly and healthy way.

Dear Spirited Earthling,

There are small ways you can connect with nature in your everyday life. From moon rituals to mindful showers, forest bathing and incorporating biophilic designs into your home. Another way to become more aligned with nature is to eat produce that is produced in the season you’re in.

Thanks to a globalised and connected world, grocery stores today sell once-seasonal produce throughout the year. This means you can often buy your favourite summer fruits in winter and the typically colder season root vegetables in the water seasons. Sure, it is great to be able to buy avocado and blueberries year-round and seasonal eating may seem unnecessary; but there are benefits to our persons and the planet by reconnecting with the rhythms of nature through seasonal eating. Let's explore what seasonal eating is, why it's beneficial, and how you can incorporate it into your lifestyle.

What is Seasonal Eating?

Simply said, seasonal eating involves aligning your diet with the seasonal produce that is grown and harvested at the time of year you eat it. Eating produce that is in season means you're eating food with peak flavour and nutrition, and naturally available. For example, strawberries taste best in spring, tomatoes are most flavourful in summer, and root vegetables are most delicious in autumn and winter.

Eating based on the seasons is part of our human history and deep connection to the natural world. Seasonal eating has health and environmental benefits.

Why Seasonal Eating is Good to Do

There are several reasons why seasonal eating is beneficial. Firstly, fresh and seasonal produce (allowed to ripen on the plant) are typically higher in antioxidants and other nutrients compared to foods that are in transit and stored for long periods.

Secondly, seasonal eating helps to reduce the carbon footprint of the food you’re eating because you are eating more local food. There is less transit and storage time so there is little to no long-distance shipping and transportation. Seasonal eating is a very environmentally friendly way to eat.

Thirdly, it supports the local economy and encourages sustainable farming practices. Supporting local farmers and local farmer's markets supports community connection and helps continue local culture and traditions. It also keeps money within your community (region or country) where it is spent to support other small businesses and continue to uplift your area.

Lastly, seasonal foods provide a natural diversity that encourages a healthier, more balanced diet. It is easy to make the same seven meals on rotation, so looking to add new ingredients can inspire more flavourful meals or new recipes and meals to look forward to. Eating more whole foods and more variety can also support your gut health.

fresh produce at a local farmer's market

How to Eat More Seasonally

Seasonal eating is easier than you think. Beginning to eat more seasonally may require more research at first, but like all things, it will become a habit soon enough.

Know Your Local Growing Seasons

The first thing you need to do is familiarise yourself with the fruits and vegetables that grow in your country. Visit farmer's markets to see what produce is sold in each season. Look up food guides for your area.

Another way to know what grows in which season is to grow your own fruits and vegetables. You don’t need a garden to start growing, just some pots near a sunny window or a vertical garden or a planter box on your windowsill. An added benefit is that there are no pesticides or unknown chemicals in the food you grow.

Plan Your Meals

To make eating seasonally easier, plan your meals so you don’t have to think about which fruits and vegetables to focus on after a long day, and are less likely to revert to out-of-season habitual dishes or processed alternatives. Start meal prepping to make the transition even easier.

Try New Recipes

As you’re planning your meals, look at recipes from other cuisines. You will likely find new ingredient and flavour combinations, and different cooking methods to freshen up tired recipes.

Seasonal Eating and Cycle Syncing

An idea shared in our Personal Self-Care blog section was to connect with the seasons in a personal way by cycle syncing – eating foods linked to the seasons associated with the menstrual phases. This means you would be eating food from the four seasons in one month. Although these two ideas seem to operate on different timelines, they don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

While in the spring season, you could eat vegetables like carrots, radishes, and potatoes in your menstrual spring, autumn (sweet potato instead of potato), and winter. You can roast these vegetables and add them to a salad (colder meal for warmer seasons) or risotto (warmer meal) or cook them in a stew (warmer meal for colder seasons).

You can eat meals focused on the season you're in and season the meals with herbs from your menstrual phase season. Access to dried herbs is easier and possible for you to create yourself. You can also grow your own herbs indoors year-round. During your inner spring season add herbs like basil, chives, parsley, and cilantro/coriander to meals or drinks. Thrive in your inner summer season with herbs like rosemary, thyme, mint, and oregano and origanum in your meals or drinks. Flavour your inner autumn season meals and drinks with sage, cilantro/coriander, and dill. Liven your inner winter season meals and drinks with chives, parsley, and bay leaves.

Listen to your body as you align with the outer and your inner seasons. For more on cycling syncing, read Live Your Best Life by Introducing Cycle Syncing.

Seasonal Eating is For Everyone

Remember you have purchasing power and can tell grocery stores your preferences by spending money on local produce. In Germany, the origin of all produce is given. If you also have this in your grocery stores, look for produce from the country you’re in and neighbouring countries should produce produced in your country be limited.

Support local farmer’s festivals when you can. In Germany, we have cabbage festivals and pumpkin festivals. Each Saturday or Sunday morning there are farmer's markets to buy locally. Although this produce can be more expensive, look for small purchases you can make – instead of getting all your produce here, get one fruit or one vegetable. You can start as much as your budget allows.

Seasonal eating can be a holistic approach to connecting with nature on a daily basis. You are nourishing your body with nutrient-dense flavourful foods, while sustainably supporting your local region and connecting with the natural world. You begin to celebrate the abundance that nature provides in different seasons. So why not give seasonal eating a try? You might find it to be a delicious and rewarding journey.

Spirited Earthling is more than just a blog – it's a gathering place for kindred spirits drawn by an interest in self-discovery, the appeal of self-care, and a desire for a deeper connection to the world. Written and created for curious minds and spiritual hearts seeking meaning in everyday life, this blog aims to help you curate your wholesome personal growth with free weekly ideas and affordable resources for sale.

As you navigate your personal growth journey using the words and ideas shared here, consider sharing this blog with someone looking for inspiration or motivation on their own journey. We are all spirited earthlings, and can lift each other together with mindful, connected living.

Thank you for being part of this community.

Best wishes, warmest regards

Jordan

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Why and How to Easily Start Seasonal Eating Now