Seasonal eating seems to be everywhere at the moment – with good reason too! Even Jamie Oliver has jumped on the bandwagon, with his latest show, “What To Eat This Week”!

But what exactly does it mean? And why should you get on board?

In this post, we’ll explain what eating seasonally entails in simple terms, then look at five seasonal eating benefits that are too good to ignore.

What is eating seasonally?

Seasonal eating is all about seasonal food. In short, that’s whatever is grown locally at any given time during the year. Some examples of seasonal food include swedes in winter, asparagus in spring or strawberries in summer.

As you might expect, seasonal eating refers to eating that food at the time when it’s in season.

You can do it however strictly you like. Some people will try to eat exclusively seasonal food, while others will eat seasonally by picking their favourite seasonal veg to build meals around.

That said, you might want to do it a little more often when you read about the benefits you’ll enjoy…

Seasonal eating benefits

1. It’s healthier

It’s a simple fact – produce is most nutritionally packed when it’s grown in season. There are several reasons behind this:

· It’s grown in optimal conditions at the right time of year.

· There’s less distance for food to travel from the farm to your fork, meaning less time for nutrients to decline.

· And there’s no need for preservatives or waxes to preserve food either.

2. And more sustainable

Growing seasonal food uses fewer resources, because there’s less need for farms to replicate different conditions. If rhubarb grows naturally in the UK in springtime, for example, there’s no need to use lots of water – as it will likely get what it needs from our plentiful rainfall.

There’s also less need for tilling, which releases carbon and degrades the quality of the land for future produce. That means less fuel consumption from farmers’ tractors and other machinery too. But here’s the big one – transport.

Did you know that the transport of food and related equipment contributes 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent – accounting for almost a fifth of total food system emissions?

Eating seasonally means your food will be coming from local farms – at worst from across the country. That eliminates the need for produce to be shipped across the world, slashing your ‘food miles’ significantly.

3. You’ll see and taste the quality

Another seasonal eating benefit is the quality of produce. Fruit and vegetables are generally higher in quality when they’re grown in season. Again, that’s simply down to the conditions being more suitable for each specific plant.

You can see that quality when you buy seasonal food in some cases, with more vibrant colours compared to food that’s grown out of season or transported from abroad.

Most importantly, you can taste it. Many seasonal fruits and vegetables have a more concentrated taste, so you can get even more praise for your delicious creations.

4. Not to mention saving money

If you’re not convinced already, it could even save you money. Everyone has felt the impact of the recent cost-of-living crisis, with 4 in 10 UK adults saying they’ve had to spend more than usual to get what they normally buy when food shopping.

So, it’s welcome news that produce is cheaper to buy when it’s in season. This is due to:

· The higher yield of seasonal crops – think supply and demand. You’re buying food that’s currently in abundance, so the price naturally falls.

· Reduced transport costs – which have risen in recent years due to driver pay rises and a spike in fuel costs.

· The fact that farmers can produce seasonal foods with less labour, energy and water.

5. Don’t forget the farmers!

That brings us onto our final benefit – helping UK farmers. As mentioned, seasonal food typically has a higher yield with less demand for resources. That’s not just great for you – it’s great for farmers too!

Eating seasonally also means you’ll be buying more UK-grown produce, increasing demand for the crops farmers have working so hard to produce. It really is a win-win for everyone involved.

So, what’s in season?

We’re glad you asked! To find out what’s in season at any time of the year in the UK, check out Hubbub’s seasonal eating guide. It has a simple month-by-month breakdown of what’s in season, so you can enjoy all the seasonal eating benefits above without having to spend hours researching what to buy, cook and eat!

Our seasonal cooking commitment

As a passionate vegan start-up, Gwafuvegan is committed to reducing our impact on the environment in every way possible. That’s why we aim to use seasonal produce whenever we can, whether it’s at our pop-up events or in the vegan catering services we provide in and around Manchester.

For more inspiration, check out our recipes page, where you’ll find seasonal eating inspiration for different times of the year – all 100% vegan and beginner-friendly!

Written by George Hilton

5 Seasonal Eating Benefits You Can’t Ignore!