Thanks to the University of Missouri Extension’s department of nutritional sciences, eating healthy and local just got a lot easier.
Following its hard-copy predecessor, Seasonal and Simple is a new smartphone app that helps people find, select, and prepare fresh Missouri produce.
Based on the University of Missouri Extension’s publication, Seasonal and Simple: A Guide for Enjoying Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, the smartphone app version offers basic nutritional information as well as tips on how to buy and store a variety of fruits and vegetables.
According to Janet Hackert, MU Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, the original paper version of Seasonal and Simple was so well received that her colleagues immediately decided that a smartphone app would be a convenient and innovative follow-up.
“It was a cooperative effort to get the nutritional information plus the technology that we have out to as many people as possible,” Hackert says. “It has an education component that brings information in a very practical way.”
Available for free on both IOS and Android devices, Seasonal and Simple shows what types of produce are in season at any given time in Missouri. Additionally, the app features a “Find it” option, which directs users to local stores and farmers’ markets.
“You can pick the county that you’re in or that you’re traveling through and it shows you where the local markets would be,” says Hackert. “You can see the town, the hours of operation, who to contact, and how to get there.”
Once you’ve tracked down the produce, you can rely on Seasonal and Simple to show you how to prepare and enjoy it with a variety of tips and recipes, from Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar to Missouri Berry Salad.
“Really, our goal is to help people make positive choices when it comes to eating well,” Hackert says. “If you don’t know what a food is, it’s hard to choose to eat it. If you don’t know how to prepare it, it’s almost impossible to choose to eat it.”
