What produce is in season for March?
Eating a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables is perhaps the single most important step you can take to ensuring good health and preventing chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables are also naturally low in calories, so eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables helps you naturally maintain a healthy weight. According to the Centers for Disease Control, most adults should be eating 1.5-2 cups of fruit per day and 2-3 cups of vegetables per day, but over half of the US population consumes less than a cup of fruit per day and less than 1.5 cups of vegetables per day.
We know that a big reason people don’t eat more fruits and vegetables is the cost. But there are several lost cost ways to include more fruits and vegetables in your diet. One of the best ways is to buy in season. Produce in season will always be cheaper and more readily available than produce that is out of season. Year round produce that you can usually get inexpensively include bananas, apples, potatoes and carrots. This month, the fruits and vegetables that are in season include artichokes, oranges, spinach, asparagus, pears, and kumquats. And canned or frozen fruit and vegetables count too, so you can always stock up when there’s a sale on canned or frozen fruits and vegetables and then use them throughout the year.
Locally grown produce may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of desert living, but there are actually several ways to support local agriculture in Southern Nevada.Check out the list of Farmers Markets selling locally and regionally grown produce, including ones that accept SNAP/EBT.
Community gardens are also a great way to grow fruits and vegetables that thrive in the desert climate. The Clark County School District has the largest number of school gardens in the country, with over 100 school gardens and growing!
And for fun, inspiring ways to encourage yourself to eat more fruits and vegetables, try one of our free online programs or apps, such as the SNAP Cooking app, which includes a database of healthy recipes that feature fruits and vegetables, as well as locator for retail outlets that accept SNAP/EBT. Check out our Half My Plate app for a fun way to motivate yourself to eat more fruits and veggies.
