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Eating seasonal produce is fresher and better for you! Today, I made a January produce guide so you know what’s in season and what to buy this month.
What produce is in-season in January? The answer actually depends a lot on where you live. Some places get so cold that there aren’t many fruits or vegetables that grow locally.
I totally get the struggle to find the healthiest foods. That’s one of the main reasons I’m making this guide!
I want to help you find the freshest fruits and vegetables in your area.
Why You Should Buy Seasonal Produce
Eating fruits and vegetables that are currently in season is not only better for your health, but it’s better for the earth too.
There is actually research to back this up too. A study in Japan found nutritional differences in spinach harvested naturally in the summer versus the winter.
Plus, foods that are sold out-of-season are often covered in waxes and preservatives so they can make the long trek from where they are grown (which is often not in America).
Another study found that fruits and vegetables lose their nutrient content the longer they are packaged after harvest. The healthiest and most nutrient-dense produce items will be the ones you buy when they are in season.
Finally, it’s just so much better for the earth too! When you buy from local farmers, you aren’t taking part in the shipping and importing of out-of-season veggies.
Should I buy organic fruits and veggies?
The decision to eat organic or not is really a personal choice. There are conflicting studies for and against the extra cost of organic.
There are lots of good reasons to eat organic. Organic farming tends to use earth-friendly farming practices, so it’s better for the environment.
If you are worried about pesticides and herbicides, organic farmers use them too, but they use organic ones.
One of the best ways to find out what kind of chemicals are used on the produce you buy is to go to a farmer’s market and talk to the farmer. Some farmers use very little – if any – pesticides at all.
What’s In Season: January Produce Guide
The growing season is different depending on where you live. I live in Texas, so this guide will cover what you can buy in season here.
There is a winter growing season of January – March and these are the fruits and vegetables that are in season right now.
January Vegetables In Season
You’ll typically find heartier vegetables growing right now. Read on to see what veggies are in season, along with some recipes too!
Broccoli
Broccoli is a sun-loving cool-weather plant. It actually does worse when the weather gets too hot. It requires moist soil too, so it’s great if January is cool and rainy.
Make these broccoli & cauliflower veggie patties from Little Bits Of!
Cauliflower
There are actually three different varieties of cauliflower:
- Summer
- Autumn
- Winter
These are hearty veggies that will be able to handle the cooler weather.
Make this Instant Pot loaded cauliflower soup from Living Loving Paleo!
Cabbage
Cabbage is a vegetable that farmers can plant in mid-summer and then harvest all winter long. The winter cabbage will look and taste a bit different than the summer varieties. But, it is still delicious and so good for you!
Make this unstuffed cabbage soup from Low Carb Yum!
Spinach and Lettuces
Just like cabbage, spinach, lettuce, and other salad greens like arugula all do well in the winter.
These plants will keep producing more as they are harvested. Farmers can pick winter spinach leaves, and more will grow in its place.
Make this healthy green smoothie recipe!
Asparagus
Asparagus grows underground. It’s in-season in January as long as the ground doesn’t freeze too much. This is hit or miss, however. Some farmers choose not to invest in trying to keep them growing in the winter.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes will grow in frost-free environments. As long as the ground doesn’t freeze, you should be able to find some fresh sweet potatoes at the farmer’s market!
Make these Whole30 chili-spiced sweet potato wedges from Organize Yourself Skinny!
January Fruits In Season
There aren’t very many fruits that you can buy in-season in January. This is mainly due to the colder weather and fruits tend to thrive in warmer climates.
There are actually just two fruits that you can buy in-season in January.
Strawberries
Strawberries are the hardiest of all the fruits. That being said, they tend to die back in the winter. If they are grown in the winter, they are probably grown indoors.
Make this gluten-free strawberry cake from What The Fork Food Blog!
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are technically a fruit, even though lots of people call them a vegetable. They are typically a warm-weather crop. But farmers can still grow them inside greenhouses.
Make this dairy free ratatouille recipe from A Clean Bake!
Recipes To Cook In January
That’s what is in season in January!
It’s actually a longer list than you might think. One of my favorite places to find this information is straight from the Texas Farmer’s Market.
Here are some of my favorite recipes that you can make with the seasonal produce. Try one of these recipes and if you enjoyed it, please don’t forget to pin the recipe so you can find it later!
Oven-Roasted Broccoli
This recipe will taste even more amazing with fresh broccoli. It couldn’t be any easier.
I used Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel seasoning on it. This tastes so good that I like using it as a side for multiple meals a week!
Cauliflower Rice
These veggie fajitas with cauliflower rice are perfect for Taco Tuesday. They fit in perfectly with low-carb diets like keto.
Lemon Herb Oven Roasted Asparagus
This side dish is perfect to serve on fish night. I love lemon flavors when I make fish!
Eat Whole Foods: January Produce Guide
Start your healthy-eating journey by trying to eat as many whole foods as you can. After you start getting good at meal prep, start to try and focus on eating more in-season foods.
Your body and the earth will thank you for it!
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