Shop for the Best of Fall

Experts say shopping for fall produce at local farmers’ markets can be beneficial for your taste buds, your nutrition and your local economy.

Shopping locally is always in season

Many root vegetables like beets and carrots tend to be much more flavorful straight from the ground. Richard Ruben, author of The Farmer’s Market Cookbook (Lyons Press, 2000). and a chef instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, says, “The longer a vegetable stays on the vine, the more nutritionally vibrant it is. The best perk, and the most selfish perk, is that you just get the best-tasting flavor from your vegetables. Sometimes being selfish is a good thing.”

Jeanne Pinsoff Nolan is the founder of the Organic Gardener, Ltd., which helps families, restaurants and schools grow their own produce. She is also a mother of two who grows her own fruit and vegetables for her family. She agrees with Ruben, saying “From the moment a fruit or vegetable is picked from its mother plant, the nutritional density begins to decline.” She explained that when you take a piece of broccoli that was cut by a farmer that morning and cook it for your family, the nutritional value is far higher than broccoli from your grocer that was cut across the country a week prior.

The local difference

Ruben says that tomatoes are a prime example of how moving vegetables long distances can make a huge difference in taste. “Tomatoes tend to take on a mealy quality after they’ve been refrigerated. Refrigeration also keeps tomatoes from fully ripening. Mealiness is a sure sign of immaturity.” The same is true for plums, peaches and apricots, he says.

Ruben also notes that when we eat food that has greater flavor impact, that we tend to eat less. “When we eat something that’s rich and flavorful, you just don’t crave as much of it because the satisfaction is already there,” he says, “It’s a win-win.”

Nolan also says for parents to keep in mind that shopping locally might make your kids eat better. When food is fresher, it’s tastier. “An apple is a thousand times as yummy when it’s right off the tree,” she says. “My daughter hates tomatoes we didn’t grow. Be open to the possibility that kids can enjoy things they might not have before the peak of freshness. A local tomato is a completely different food than a non-local one.”

Eating seasonally comes naturally

Experts say our bodies are naturally tuned in to eating seasonally. Nolan gives the example of watermelon. “You crave watermelon when it’s hot out — right when it’s in season. No one craves watermelon in December,” she says. But heartier dishes — think Thanksgiving dinner — are great on cold days.

The way we cook each season also mirrors what mother nature throws our way. “In the summer, we’re doing a lot more grilling,” Nolan explains. “When it’s hot out, who wants to bake? But as the weather cools, we get beautiful acorn squash and sweet potatoes that just beg to be roasted.”

Tips for shopping at the green market

• For seasonal cooking, stick to basic ingredients. Nolan says that every pantry needs them. “When you have basics in the pantry like oils, vinegars, whole wheat pastas, grains, lean meats and spices, it’s easy to go to the market, even without a solid game plan,” she explains. “See what’s in season and let that dictate your menu for you.”
• You can also make shopping a mini-workout. Ruben says to make the farmer’s market part of your exercise routine. “Walk through the market. Maybe you’ll be seduced by the product, maybe you won’t. But getting out there to see the cornucopia of produce is always a good excuse to get moving.”
• Ruben says not to be afraid of your freezer. “Throw whole tomatoes in your freezer and they’ll keep for 3-6 months.” Use them like you would any canned tomato for roasts, soups and stews. “You also don’t need to worry about sugar, salt or other additives that can go into canned tomatoes.”
• Ruben’s favorite fall fruits and vegetables are celery and celery root, potatoes, fennel, beets, carrots, kale and broccoli rabe. Try cooking with an ingredient you haven’t tried before.

The greener side

Of course, there are other advantages of shopping locally. You reduce your carbon footprint when you buy produce that didn’t come into town on a truck or airplane. In fact, in many places across the country the “locavore” — or eating locally — movement is fast becoming a lifestyle. Nolan says, “A big part of the whole locavore movement is asking ourselves ‘How much did my food cost to get to me?’ and ‘How much fossil fuel was burned?’”

Nolan explains that when you buy a vegetable off the shelf, the variety was chosen by the farmer for shelf life, not for flavor and sweetness. “They’ll ask ‘what will transport well and have longevity on the shelf? What will look fresh even when it’s two weeks old?’”

She also notes that knowing where your food comes from and helping your local farmers stay in business is worth the added expense that can, at times, be associated with local veggies.

But Ruben says taste and nutrition is the most important factor. “To eat locally, you don’t need to be motivated politically, but artistically,” he explains. “As a chef, I just want foods that sing, and that’s what local produce does. While making meals for our families that are nutritionally sound and delicious, we keep them healthy and happy. That’s what I call sustainability.”

Article By: Mary Elizabeth Hurn on Weight Watchers