How to Eat Seasonally This October - Be Well With Lisa Michelle

I grew up in the subtropical climate of Miami and because the weather didn’t vary too much year round, the idea of eating seasonally never occured to me. We enjoyed mangos and strawberries in the winter months and root vegetables in the summer. We sourced our food from the local supermarkets, Publix and Winn Dixie and while we’d sometimes go berry picking, I never understood the importance and value of buying local food in season. Then about a decade ago, I read Lucid Food, Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life by Louisa Shafia and it was the first time I saw a cookbook organized by season. I was already in New York by then and the romantic appeal of weekends at the Farmer’s Market was starting to lure me in. Lucid Food was and still continues to be a guide and a source of inspiration for me and since then, I am much more mindful about how food grows and when to buy it at its peak season. That’s why I was inspired to write today’s post: how to eat seasonally this October.

This guide is sourced from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, so it’s especially relevant to those who live in NY, but feel free to use it as a general guide on how to eat seasonally this October when planning your next trip to the market.