Seasonal eating

Produce picked at its peak tends to taste better, and it can hold on to more of its nutrients because it hasn't spent weeks traveling or sitting in storage. In-season food is often less expensive, too, since there's plenty of it.

Eating with the seasons also brings natural variety to your plate, which means a wider range of nutrients and more kinds of fiber for your gut bacteria. Each season has its own lineup:

• Spring: asparagus, peas, tender greens
• Summer: berries, tomatoes, zucchini, stone fruit
• Fall: apples, pears, squash, Brussels sprouts
• Winter: citrus, root vegetables, cabbage

Try this: the next time you shop, look for whatever is piled high and priced well, or ask at a farmers market what was just harvested. Build one meal around it this week.