By Leah Larwood of Roots and Toots Blog
My love of local produce stems from childhood. Growing up, my brother and I would sell our garden leftovers - namely pears, blackberries, apples and Victoria Plums - from the end of our drive. A small bag was fifty pence and a large freezer bag was a pound. This is how we made our pocket money during the summer holidays. Still to this day, here in Norfolk, roadside vans, pop-up stalls and driveway booths sell similar edible treasures: bundles of asparagus, Cromer crabs, samphire, waxy spuds covered in soil, wildflower honey and a plethora of ripe berries and homemade preserves.
Of course, it makes financial sense to eat the seasons but local seasonal fruit and veg also come with some surprising health benefits. Foods in seasons have all the minerals and nutrients that we need at certain times in the year. For example, autumnal foods tend to have more vitamin C, which is exactly what we need to fight off winter colds and bugs. Supermarkets often buy out of season produce from overseas that’s been treated to kill germs, and sometimes, they are preserved in wax to extend the shelf life. Whereas, eating local and seasonal is also a great opportunity to broaden your diet, try new things and experiment with different foods.
Here are three other reasons why buying seasonal is a smart choice:
1. Taste
Firstly, seasonal fruit and veg will always taste fresher, lovelier, sweeter and riper. When that piece of fruit or veg has naturally ripened and has been harvested at the right time, it will have sacks more nutritional content and flavour too. When overseas crops have been imported, usually they have been harvested early and then chilled so they travel well. However, when they are refrigerated, this reduces the flavour. Before they even make it to the supermarkets, they’re often kept at a holding house where they’re heated so that they can complete the ripening process. This, of course, is artificial and doesn’t yield the same quality, flavour or texture.
2. No Nasties
When fruit and veg have been imported, you just can’t guarantee what’s happened to them after they’ve been picked! Regulations for pesticides and herbicides vary drastically. Here in the UK, we’re pretty good but there are loads of countries, even those within Europe, that have relaxed laws about chemicals being sprayed on fruits and vegetables.
3. Planet Friendly
Eating seasonally reduces the demand for out-of-season produce, which further supports more local produce and promotes local farming in your area, which in turn, means less transportation, refrigeration, hothouses, and irradiation of produce. However, it’s easy to lose track of what’s ‘in’ and what’s out of season. So below is a list of seasonal foods for the summer!
