Please…don’t serve me “fresh” strawberries in January

“Fresh” Strawberries in January? I’ll pass.

But, a preserved strawberry? As long as it was grown organically and preserved without sulfites, color enhancers, or preservatives. 

Few people may be that fussy even though these concerns are valid. Choosy eating is not pompous. Following a careful diet requires discipline and knowledge. Patronizing only in-season, locally harvested food is challenging depending on where you live. A January winter might leave you with only squash and carrots as fresh crop choices. This is why preservation, such as freezing and drying are important.

The supermarket knows no seasons, as coined in the movie ‘Food, Inc.’

Seeing fresh produce from faraway regions at the supermarket is not overly tempting once you know the wasteful resources involved in bringing the food there. Since when did we assume that a strawberry with a firm white center or a sour blueberry transported from Chili in February was acceptable? Plucking the fruit weeks before it can ripen naturally on the plant so it can endure the hardship of transportation and handling isn’t appealing. After a while, the year-round produce looks as lackluster as it tastes.

Eating local, in-season produce has its rewards. The food is fresher, better-tasting, more nutritious, supports local enterprise, and helps our environment because it involves fewer resources from soil to plate. Those are enough reasons for me.