Do you find the thought of eating foods to be more appealing when they are in season?

Eating fruit in the middle of winter appalls me, so no, you’re not alone in seasonal eating patterns. And then there’s my unripe berry peeve…

Food naturally out of season could be dangerous for the health…hence the body’s negative reaction to it.

yes, especially fresh tomatoes… I cannot eat them if they’re mealy and flavorless

I eat all fruits and veg all year long. But they definitely taste better and probably are better for you when they are ripened on the vine and have some flavor and proper texture.

So I have never noticed a seasonal eating pattern. It is an interesting idea though.

@mcbealer – I agree about the tomatoes but I buy them anyhow because I like the color variation in my salad. I know it’s silly. I call them red bullets.

The ones that are out of season come from places in the southern hemisphere where they are in season. In order to get them to you in decent condition, they are picked before they are fully ripe in order to survive the transportation. Seasonal produce comes from closer locations and are allowed to ripen more naturally. So, yes, off-season fruits and vegetables have a less appealing taste because they are picked before they actually reach a point where they taste like they’re supposed to.

I work at a 600 acre, 126-year-old, family run farm and I’d say you’re spot on. We grow over 100 crops and they are so much better when they’re in season.

For years they only sold fruits and veggies when they were in season. Problem is, public demand. People want their damn stawberries in January no matter what!

It’s ironic that the customer who (twenty years ago) demanded all fruits and veggies year ‘round is now the same customer concerned with being a locavore.

I understand what you guys are saying, but what I meant was that even if freshly picked vine ripened peaches or mangoes could be flown in during the winter, I would not care to eat them. I don’t know if it is psychological or physiological or what, but I just don’t find them appetizing at this time of year.

If I had to guess I’d say it’s a combination of traditional eating patterns and understanding that out of season food, even though it’s often available, isn’t as good. Mix that with a potential biological factor that helps to drive your tastes… maybe that explains it.

I’ve never really experienced that beyond craving certain foods based on season. I tend to lean towards lighter, raw, fresher foods in spring summer and heavier, thick sauce, slow roasted meat types of food in the fall/winter (ex. beef and guinness pie is just fine in summer, but something about it is even better in winter).

Fruit wise, I tend to ignore most fruit if it’s not in season but that’s as much because of taste as anything. When I go overseas and have farm fresh fruits available that aren’t at home because of the season, I chow down just as quickly as I would had I picked them myself.

Fruits, I would agree with you on. There’s something a little bit wrong with eating berries in January, unless they’re in a jam or something.

Vegetables, though, I get mad cravings for – it’s like my body misses the nutrients.

Tennessee has the best homegrown strawberries on the planet. they are only grown a certain time of year and everyone stocks up and buys plenty for freezing. i have nothing against strawberries grown in California, but what a difference compared to the blue ribbon winning strawberries of Portland, Tennessee. this should give you some idea of how i feel about fruits and veggies grown out of season or even out of state.

I love the idea of seasonal food when it is fresh.

…more appealing when they are in season…

Scotch is always in SEASON…

@john65pennington, I’d not heard that about Tennessee strawberrries. Ours usually come from Indiana, but they have a lot more seeds than the CA or FL varieties.