Eat healthy in 2018!

– By the Veggie Fairy Team

In this era of fast food, junk food, and crazy busy schedules, healthy eating can be hard. But local food makes it easy! So make “healthy eating” your #1 New Years Resolution, and Seasonal Roots will smooth the way for you. To start, here are 7 easy tips to help you keep your resolution.

1. Order weekly

If you haven’t already signed up for Seasonal Roots, do it now and order every week. Online ordering is quick and convenient, and delivery is free to your home or office, saving you time. By ordering every week, you’re getting local food that’s fresh from the fields, so it’s loaded with healthy nutrients (not to mention flavor!)

2. Avoid supermarket mindgames

Seasonal candy displays… scent machines to lure you to the bakery… “free” junk food samples… sugary cereals at kids-eye-level… oversized shopping carts… These are just some of the psychological marketing tricks that supermarkets use to fool you into filling your cart with unhealthy food! (Read this Washington Post article for the inside scoop.) By getting your fresh stuff delivered weekly, you won’t have to go to the supermarket as often. And before you go, be sure to eat first, take a list, and focus on stocking up on items you can store. That will make it easier to stay out of their devious clutches.

3. Eat it raw

The fact is, food that’s freshly picked or just-made simply tastes better. Time is the enemy, so if it’s fresh, it still has all its original flavor along with its nutrients. You don’t have to do anything fancy to it to make it taste delicious!

4. Roast it

If you don’t like it raw, you can still keep it simple. Set your oven at 400 degrees, chop and toss your veggies in olive oil, then spread them on a baking sheet. Roasting releases the natural sugars inside, making everything even more mouth-wateringly delicious. Depending on their size and density, your roasted veggies will be ready to eat within 20 minutes to an hour.

5. Steam it

Keep in mind that some nutrients are actually easier for your body to extract and process if the veggies are cooked. For example, spinach and other greens do you more good when you cook it first. Steaming is quick and easy. Then sprinkle with sunflower seeds and dried cranberries, a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and you’ve got instant delish.

6. Use a slow cooker

Too busy to cook? Just throw everything in a slow cooker, and voila, you’ve got an easy home-cooked meal and probably leftovers, too. Eating healthy local food made from scratch doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of time in the kitchen (unless you want it to!) Here are some tips on how to make a slow cooker work for you.

7. Don’t wait for spring

If you think there’s nothing local and healthy to eat in the winter, think again! There are plenty of superfoods among the produce we harvest in Virginia in the fall and winter, and some of them store well, too. Here’s a handy list of local superfoods that will boost your health starting right now!