Why eating in-season is better for you, your wallet and the environment
Nutritionist: ‘do you eat in season?’
Me: ‘does butternut squash count?’
JK, that never happened - I actually love eating in-season. Eating in-season is such a simple and easy to implement hack to ensure you get the most value out of your food and for your money, and benefit your health as well as the environment!
From a culinary perspective, autumn is by far my favourite season. So many exciting fruits and veggies; pomegranates, figs, khaki fruits, mushrooms, pumpkin, parsnip, artichokes, beetroot, citrus fruits, cabbage, cranberries, romanesco, celeriac. You get my point..
So why should you try eating in-season?
Eating in season can reduce your carbon footprint.
Did you know that produce that is shipped from far away places usually has to be chilled during the entire journey? And that, upon arrival, it sometimes has to be heated in a hot house to artificially ripen the produce before it goes onto the shelves?
Sticking to locally grown in-season foods is better for the environment. Think about it: local in-season foods need less transportation, less refrigeration, less hot houses, and less irradiation.
In-season foods support your body's seasonal needs.
For example, in winter all things citrus provide the vitamin C needed for immunity. Beetroot provides nitric oxide for circulation (bye cold hands), squash and pumpkins provide carotenoids for immune function, and oyster mushrooms can provide vitamin D for mood and immunity.
In-season foods have a better nutritional profile.
In-season produce is likely to be fresher and more nutritional. Eg. research shows that the vitamin C content of broccoli was higher when grown in its peak season (autumn) than when grown in spring. Some phyto-nutrient and anti-oxidants such as vitamin C and carotenes will also rapidly decline when stored for long periods of time.
In-season foods taste better!
In-season produce is fresher and tastes better. When fruits and vegetables are picked for consumption that have been naturally ripened on the vine or tree and harvested at the right time, they will have more flavour and nutrition.
What’s in season now?
Fruits: pomegranates, figs, khaki fruits, citrus fruits, cranberries, pears, apples, quince.
Veggies: swede, chard, mushrooms, pumpkin, parsnip, artichokes, beetroot, celeriac, romanesco, red cabbage, brussel sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chicory, horseradish, leeks, salsify, turnips.
WTM’s tip for getting the most out of your seasonal eating:
Try to opt for locally produced foods.
Consult seasonal food calendars like this one.
Don’t forget herbs - most herbs can actually be grown all year round! Try growing your own on a kitchen windowsill all year round or outdoors (after the last frost).
Experiment with different flavours and preparation methods - one of my favourite cook books, The Complete Nose to Tail, focuses on utilising offal, pairing under-loved cuts with seasonal ingredients.
Try some of my recipes, like my parsnip, parmesan and sage fritters with garlic and horseradish mayo or Thai carrot pancakes.
BUT don’t stress if you’re unable to eat locally and seasonally. It’s not always possible to eat locally and seasonally for everyone all of the time and that’s totally fine. The aim of sharing this information is to empower you to make better informed decisions that are better for you, your wallet and your health, where possible.
