There is so much buzz these days about eating food produced locally and in-season. I make an effort not to purchase food shipped in from far away – apples from New Zealand and grapes from Argentina aren’t doing any favors for the planet, and by the time they land in Chicago they never taste that great, anyway. While its relatively easy to know what foods are locally grown, it can be hard to tell when a particular item is in season because my neighborhood grocery store sells just about everything year ’round.

If you need help determining what the best food choices are for your state, check out http://www.simplesteps.org/eat-local. Plug in your state and a list pops up outlining what foods are in-season in your area. Couldn’t be any easier to be an eco-conscious eater!

For Chicago, here’s an in-season chart:
Early April
Asparagus, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Spinach

Late April
Asparagus, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Spinach
Early May
Asparagus, Cabbage, Cherries, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Radishes, Rhubarb, Spinach Strawberries

Late May
Asparagus, Cabbage, Cherries, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Radishes, Rhubarb, Spinach Strawberries

Early June
Apples, Asparagus, Cabbage, Carrots, Cherries, Eggplant, Lettuce, Nectarines, Okra, Onions, Peas, Potatoes, Radishes, Rhubarb, Spinach Strawberries, Tomatoes, Turnips

Late June
Apples, Asparagus, Cabbage, Carrots, Cherries, Eggplant, Lettuce, Nectarines, Okra, Onions, Peas, Potatoes, Radishes, Rhubarb, Spinach Strawberries, Tomatoes, Turnips

Early July
Apples, Cabbage, Carrots, Cherries, Eggplant, Grapes, Nectarines, Okra, Onions, Peaches, Peas, Radishes, Rhubarb, Tomatoes, Turnips

Late July
Apples, Cabbage, Carrots, Cherries, Eggplant, Grapes, Nectarines, Okra, Onions, Peaches, Peas, Radishes, Rhubarb, Tomatoes, Turnips

Early August
Apples, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Grapes, Lettuce, Nectarines, Okra, Onions, Peaches, Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radishes, Rhubarb, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Turnips

Late August
Apples, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Grapes, Lettuce, Nectarines, Okra, Onions, Peaches, Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radishes, Rhubarb, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Turnips

Early September
Apples, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Grapes, Lettuce, Nectarines, Okra, Onions, Peaches, Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radishes, Rhubarb, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Turnips
Late September
Apples, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Grapes, Lettuce, Nectarines, Okra, Onions, Peaches, Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radishes, Rhubarb, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Turnips

Early October
Apples, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Grapes, Lettuce, Nectarines, Okra, Onions, Peaches, Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radishes, Rhubarb, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Turnips

Late October
Apples, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Grapes, Lettuce, Nectarines, Okra, Onions, Peaches, Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radishes, Rhubarb, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Turnips

Early November
Apples, Cabbage, Onions, Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Sweet Potatoes

Late November
Apples, Cabbage, Onions, Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Sweet Potatoes