Seasonal Food: How (and Why) I Eat Seasonally
I know some of you may just be recovering from Veganuary, but what if I told you that there is a new alternative diet on the scene. Environmentally-conscious? Tick. Cost-effective? Tick. Healthy for you, supportive of your local community and cheaper in the long run? Tick. Tick. Tick.
Seasonal eating is the reason we eat sprouts at Christmas dinner, carve pumpkins on Halloween, and enjoy fresh salad during summer barbecues. The diet essentially involves only eating produce that is ready to harvest at the time of year that you are eating it. You can find most fruit and vegetables growing somewhere in the world at any time of the year, so seasonal eating is more usefully understood as eating food that has been grown locally to you.
For our British ancestors, seasonal eating was the only option. For millions of people worldwide today, in countries far less globalised than our own, it is still the only choice they have. In contrast, over the last century, the privileged West has become increasingly disconnected from our food’s natural growth cycle. Our supermarkets have made it easier than ever to collect any food that we want at any time of the year – but it is coming at a high cost.
Most of us can now get away with not knowing where our food comes from, the conditions under which it is produced, and how it is transported to us. A recent article by the Guardian suggested that fewer than 1 in 10 Brits know when some of our country’s signature fruit and vegetables are in season. The uncomfortable truth is that the UK’s food industry is mostly supplemented by importation from countries thousands of miles away.
On a planet with finite resources and entering the not-so-humble beginnings of an irreversible climate crisis, the way that we are currently producing, manufacturing, and consuming our food is unsustainable and inexcusable.
We are probably all aware by now that any food that has travelled far comes with a hefty carbon footprint. For many, seasonal eating provides the solution to help reduce the demand for out of season produce that has to be transported across the world and often comes covered in that pesky plastic packaging to prevent transit damage.
But seasonal eating is not just good for the planet – it is good for our souls and our conscience. Food grown locally tastes fresher, riper, and sweeter because it has not been picked ahead of its ideal ripeness to ensure it lasts through transportation. The shorter journey time of locally-harvested food also helps to contain the micronutrients and phytonutrients within the produce. Eating a strawberry that has been sat in a truck for weeks on end is not nutritional.
Seasonal eating helps us to give back to our local community by supporting local businesses and farmers. Not to mention the far more ethical legislation in place in the UK surrounding pesticides, agriculturally-intensive farming methods, soil quality and workers’ rights. The fact that the food does not need to be transported a far distance or stored for long periods also drives the retail price cost. Especially for students, having an awareness of the foods that are in season at any one time can make budgeting for your weekly food shop a lot easier.
So, how do you eat in-season produce? Our supermarkets are partly responsible for blocking our knowledge of the food chain, but they can also be a useful tool. If prices are falling or rising in the shops, that is a good indication that a particular product is coming in or out of season. A quick check of the location next to the barcode will let you know how far your tomatoes have travelled.
Finding your local farmer’s market is also an ideal starting point to support your local growers and find out what is in season right now. They are the experts and will happily answer all of your questions about where the food on display originates.
Another great idea to learn the natural growth patterns of fruit and vegetables is to give growing your own a go, and as we move into spring, there is no better time to try! It can be incredibly rewarding and educational to make a meal from food that you have grown yourself.
It is important to keep in mind that there are some foods that you are never going to be able to find locally grown in the UK – so I am not saying you can never eat a pineapple ever again! It is more about the small steps that we can all take that can add up to have a significant benefit on the planet. The current structure of our supermarkets, our reluctance to cook our own food, and our obsession with pre-packaged ready meals are having a devastating impact on us and the planet. We must reconnect with where our food comes from.
Being vegan because you have heard that it is good for the planet is all well and good, but if your avocados are imported from South America during the middle of winter, you are not helping anyone.
Here are some useful resources to start eating seasonally:
Riverford App
https://www.thevurgerco.com/blogjourney/how-to-eat-seasonally
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/seasonal-food-and-growing
Also, if you live in Bristol and its surroundings, check out Bristol Food Union and The Community Farm to support local business and producers.
Written by Rhianna Hurren-Myers
Originally from Taunton Deane, Somerset, Rhianna is currently studying for an MA at Cardiff University in Public Relations and Communications Management. With hopes to work in the sustainable communications industry, Rhianna’s personal writing often centres on topics surrounding climate change, inequality, and current affairs.
She has been the Features Editor for Cardiff University’s award-winning Quench Magazine for nearly two years, which won ‘Best Section’ at the Cardiff Student Media awards for 2019-2020. In 2020, Rhianna was also part of the founding team of The Collective Magazine as Deputy Editor in Chief, which helps students and recent grads grow their creative portfolios outside of traditional, university-led student media.
In between university deadlines, Rhianna can be found sipping on some form of caffeinated oat milk and advising people on houseplant care via her @houseplantdiares Instagram blog.
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