Eating Seasonally & Buying Locally This Spring

Eating seasonally, means eating foods that are grown at the same time as you eat them, in your local area. The food is ‘in season’.

There are many benefits to eating seasonally and locally. As the food has been harvested at the best time and travelled a short distance to your plate it will be fresher and more nutritious than food that has travelled half way around the world. It also helps to support your local community as you purchase their produce. This can, in turn, save you money as local produce can be grown in natural conditions and quickly transported the short distance – keeping costs lower, that will in return be projected onto the price tag. Of course eating seasonally can be challenging at first, you will have to replan your meals and take a little bit of time to do your seasonal research – but the benefits definitely outweigh the small inconveniences at the start.

To get started in eating seasonal foods, visit your local farmers markets. They are a great way to discover what is in season and purchase high quality produce – it also makes a fun morning activity for all the family. Alternatively, you can’t get more local than growing your own fruit and vegetables. As the weather begins to warm up, now is the perfect time to grab your gardening gloves, a packet of seeds and get into your garden.

As you begin to discover what produce is seasonal in your area, jot it down in a notebook. Then next year you can very quickly refresh your self of the list and get cooking.

So, what’s in season this Spring?

Fruit

Apricot

Bramley Apple (stored)

Rhubarb (stored)

Vegetables

Brussel Sprouts

Cabbage

Cauliflower

Celeriac

Lettuce

New Potatoes

Spring Onion

Pepper

Purple Sprouting

Radish

Spinach

Spring Greens

Watercress

Meat

Beef

Chicken

Spring Lamb

Pork

Fish

Cod

Crab

Halibut

Kipper

Mackerel

Oyster

Salmon

Eat seasonally and shop mindfully.