by Rae Frey

Summer is a wonderful time of year. Besides the warm weather and the beach, one of my favorite things about summer is produce! Summer fruits and vegetables are so vibrant in color and bursting with flavor–not to mention cheap. Money is definitely a huge factor to many students including myself. NYC is expensive enough with school and housing, so buying in-season produce is a double win for
both flavor and my wallet. Don’t believe me? Let’s break it down.  

Why buy in-season produce?

• It Tastes Better

In-season produce are fresher and taste better because they are naturally ripened and harvested at the right time for consumption. Most crops are harvested early and refrigerated so they don’t spoil during transport to our grocery stores throughout the year. Once they reach their destination, they are artificially ripened right before they go on the shelf and arguably this changes the texture and flavor of the crop.

• It’s Cheaper

The cost of produce goes down because a large abundance of the crop is in season and can be harvested in large quantities. Additionally, when produce are in season in your area and locally sourced, the harvesting process incurs fewer travel, storage and maintenance costs before reaching you, the consumer!

• It’s Environmentally Friendly

As you can image, when produce in your area are in season, their “food mileage” or transportation costs, are significantly reduced and lower the amount of energy it takes for them to get to your grocery store. Seasonal produce can easily grow without too much human assistance (aka strong pesticides and fertilizers). These toxic compounds can easily run-off farms and contaminate local waterways.

Delicious, cheap and environmentally friendly? Say, no more! So, what is in season right now?

I live in the Northeast region of the United States, so what may be in season in my area may be different than what is in season in your area. Radishes, arugula, cucumber, asparagus, corn, carrots, cherries, strawberries, tomatoes, and plums are in season right now to name a few! Take a look at Eat The Seasons and Grow NYC’s seasonal guide to find out what’s in season throughout the year in your area. Get outside and take in the sun (and some delicious food)! Below is one of my favorite summer recipes and is super refreshing on a hot summer day, cheers!

 

Vegan Peach Milkshake

• 2 cups of Vanilla Dairy-free Ice cream (we used soy)
• ½ cup of dairy-free milk (we used soy)
• 1 cup of peach chunks (1 peach)

In a blender, add the ice cream, milk, and ⅔ of the measured peaches. Blend together until smooth (approx. 2-3 minutes). Then add the remaining ⅓ of peaches and blend for a few more seconds so there are peach bits in the milkshake. Pour into glasses and enjoy.