Seasonal Eating – Is it something we should all be doing??
In a world of 24hr round the clock availability of food and open supermarkets, where shelves are stacked high with choice; it is easy to forget how and when food is grown.
Eating foods in the time that they are grown is what is known as eating Seasonally. Minimising the time it takes to get from ground to plate.
Choosing to eat more seasonally has many advantages. One of them being saving money!
You get far more from your budget if you eat within the seasons. When fruit or vegetables are not within the season of your area they have to be bought in across the world or carefully managed in controlled environments. These extra costs get passed on to the customer – i.e YOU! When eating seasonally the produce is grown locally and therefore minimises transport and containing costs are kept lower.
Other advantages to eating seasonally are the produce themselves being at their peak and in turn tasting amazing! They are also at their nutritional best when eaten within the month they are grown in.
Ever noticed how you naturally crave certain foods in its season? Our bodies our naturally aligned to nature. When the sun shines and the vitamin D is kissing our skin we want strawberries and crip salads that are juicy and light. When Autumn approaches and the root veg is plentiful we all want soups and squash or mushrooms etc. Our natural nutritional needs make us want to eat seasonally. Sadly due to marketing or our 24hr always available lifestyle we have created; this call or natural craving can often get lost in our busy lives.
Another advantage is supporting local farms and choosing foods that are kinder to the environment. By buying local you are feeding the profits back into your local community or county. Equally when food has had to travel a long way to get to you (via the supermarket), it comes with a carbon footprint. Which apple are you going to choose? One from South Africa or one from Kent?
Produce locked in cargo or shipping containers for days/months on end and being sprayed or stored in controlled environments does nothing good for the nutritional value or content of the food. Depending on their process the last bag of carrots you bought from the supermarket is likely to have been one and nine months old.
Lastly its exciting to eat seasonally. It allows spontaneity into your week. The introduction to new foods, tastes and recipes allows us to all be a little more creative and try new thngs.
‘But out of limitations, comes creativity’
Food for thought.
Katie x