eatIng seasonaLLy

Central Oregon produces a bounty of foods, including ripe strawberries picked in the morning, carrots recently uprooted for market, and frost-kissed fall kale. To enjoy all that this land can offer, eat seasonally and know that you’re supporting the lives and livelihoods of local farmers, ranchers, and food businesses.

• Use the Seasonality Chart Before meal planning, visiting the farmers market or shopping at a grocery store, take a look at our seasonality chart for the fruits and vegetables that are available in our region.

• Practice Patience Bookmark recipes and wait to try them when the ingredients are in season. If it’s March and the recipe calls for tomatoes, consider waiting until August to make it. Your farmers and your palate will thank you. • Substitute Many recipes are adaptable. Knowing how to swap ingredients is a great way for you to cook your favorite recipes and eat seasonally at the same time. HDFFA has an easy to follow vegetable substitution guide in our Cooking Counts workbook (hdffa.org/cookingcounts)

• Buy in Bulk Buying in bulk is a great way to support your local farmer, get creative in the kitchen, and save money! Consider buying larger quantities when items are in abundance and preserving them through freezing, canning, or dehydrating. More info at: www.extension.oregonstate.edu/ food/preservation

did You KNoW?

For every $1 spent on local food, $0.76 stays in the local economy compared to $0.28 for every dollar spent on imported food. Ask yourself, can i find lettuce, potatoes or ground pork locally?