One hundred years ago, the local green grocer would have been stocked with only the freshest seasonal produce. If a product not in season was desired, then the consumer would have to wait until the fruit or vegetable of their choice was available. However, all of this has changed with the advent of globalization and the ability to import food from any part of the world. Now, any product can be bought for a price, with blueberries being bought in November and bananas available year-round.

Although some may claim that this increase in the variety of food is a good thing, there are many downsides to having any kind of food available at any moment. When any non-seasonal food is imported into the local supermarket, it automatically hurts the local producers of food, which in turn drives down the local economy. Even though supermarket produce may be marginally cheaper, it can also be more dangerous because it is easier for bacteria to be missed in large quantities of food as opposed to the small amount of produce a local farmer produces.

Furthermore, eating seasonal and local produce often forces people to become healthier in their food choices and eliminates the environmental damage caused by shipping foods thousands of miles. The dollars spent go directly to the farmer and families are able to enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables (as described above). Buying seasonal produce also provides and exciting opportunity to try new foods and to experiment with seasonal recipes.

Produce is at its peak nutritional value when it is ripe, but while fruits and vegetables that travel to the supermarket might gain color and softness, nutritional value comes from the stem of the living plant. Indeed, once harvested, a vegetable or fruit is as nutritious as it is going to get. This is why locally harvested foods are healthier; because they travel very short distances from farm to market.

In the end, eating food that is in season is, on the whole, healthier and more beneficial to the local economy. Due to agribusiness, it may seem as though food has no seasons, but by taking just a few steps, the consumer of food products can indicate his or her preference for fresh, wholesome, local produce.