So, you’ve started eating ‘right’ after years of Big Macs and Pop Tarts – congratulations! However, along with the energy and otherwise improved life quality you’re enjoying as you make dietary adjustments, you find yourself confused and frustrated about what, exactly constitutes the ‘right’ choice. I’ve experienced this same frustration! I’ve thrown up my hands, asking ‘Only ‘organic’?’ Or is ‘sustainable’ the more important adjective to have affixed to my food? ‘Seasonal’?! ‘Local’?! I find myself treading in this label soup, as well. Let’s take a deep breath and try to sort out some of the basic concepts.

Organic farming

Organic farm production is all about providing food to consumers without leaving the environment or the food contaminated with chemicals. We seek out organic products because we want to be sure that we’re making the right choices for both our bodies and our planet. Ok, so far, so good.

However, the regulation of organic food production in the 2000s complicated the labeling process. While USDA certification of organic food products was undertaken to ensure that producers adhered to the principles that people have come to expect of food bearing the label ‘organic’, it is also a costly and time-consuming process. Many small producers have found that maintaining the USDA organic certification is simply not feasible. This is where things get slightly complicated.

“Ok, so if not all of the ‘good’ stuff is going to bear an ‘organic’ label, how is one to know which foods are good for you and which are drenched in horrifying fertilizers?”

Good question.

When a lack of a USDA Organic label on produce is not a deal-breaker

From what I’ve found through my own exploration, it largely depends on where the foods are sourced. For instance, fruits, vegetables, and other food found in large grocery stores that does not have the ‘organic’ label is likely the product of the agri-business machine that you are trying to get away from. Thus, the large grocery store context is a good place to look for the ‘organic’ label.

However, when utilizing farmer’s markets and other more direct means of obtaining food, the lack of an ‘organic’ label is not as much of a deal-breaker. The vendors at these locations might be the very same small-scale operators whose business model can’t sustain the USDA certification process. Don’t be afraid to ask them about their approach to farming. They will likely be happy to share this information with you! (Sustainabletable.org provides some great guidance on which questions to ask farmers and grocers if you’re unsure what to ask).

A surefire way to obtain even greater knowledge of how your food has been produced is join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Becoming involved with a CSA will give you a view deeper into the approach of those producing the food that you put into your body.

Feel better? I hope so! Eating the food that is best for your body and your planet can be a challenge, but it can be negotiated through inquiry and awareness. Give the above pointers a try. Let me know how they work for you and share any tips that you might have for the Green Lemonade community; we’ll stay afloat in this ‘label soup’ together!

For additional information, check out Sustainable Table’s excellent page on this issue.

What you might have been thinking: Buying seasonal produce is going to cost an arm and a leg and require extra time and effort. Besides, how much difference can be made through purchasing a few seasonal vegetables, anyway?

The Green Lemonade rethink: Filling the market basket with seasonal fruits and vegetables has never been more convenient. Farmer’s markets continue to multiply. It’s likely that there is one not far from where you live. In New York City, markets featuring produce from the region, usually sold by those who’ve produced it, can be found in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. (A directory of these farmers markets can be found here at the council on the environment of new york city.) Several of these markets are open year round…yup, even in the winter there is local goodness to be had.

And if you live outside of New York City, check out this national directory is a great resource.

Local food is also fresher, and tastes better

Connecting with these markets will benefit both you and your planet in a variety of ways. When you purchase produce that is locally in-season, you are ensuring that the food that you put into your body is fresher, more affordable, and hasn’t been racking up frequent flier miles. When we ignore what’s being harvested locally, we end up buying fruits and vegetables that have been flown in from around the world. Bell peppers and tomatoes, for example, are brought in from the Netherlands when purchased out of season. Asparagus often makes its way from distant Peru! Wouldn’t you rather give your hard-earned money directly to a farmer than a shipping company? If these social benefits of going seasonal don’t move you, maybe this tidbit will: this stuff looks, tastes and will make your body feel a lot better than berries, cherries and nectarines from far-flung locales!

Check out this seasonal produce calendar

For a look into seasonal fruits and vegetables to look for in New York by month check this monthly harvest calendar out.

If you live outside of New York state, the Local Harvest resource will also be helpful.

Have fun with this!