Seasonal Food

I strive to cook seasonal recipes all year-round. It is not always straightforward. Walking the aisles of supermarkets it is easy to be confused about what constitutes seasonal food. A lot of produce is now imported to give us the “choice” we have become accustomed to. It usually comes at the price of flavour, nutritional content and food miles.

A BBC poll revealed that fewer than one in 10 Brits know when some of the UK’s most well-known fruit and vegetables are in season… and in 2012, only 23% of the fruit and vegetables bought by British shoppers were actually grown in the UK.

Eating Seasonal Food

There is no doubt that vegetables and fruit grown in season taste better. They are also typically more nutritious. Produce that is shipped in from abroad is often harvested early and kept in chilled containers. It ripens out of the natural environment and does not develop its full flavour.

Cooking seasonal food also makes sense from an environmental point of view as most of the out-of-season produce is either flown in from abroad or grown in artificial conditions, such as in heated greenhouses in winter.

Visiting your local farm shop, butcher, fishmonger or market is your best bet to find produce that is both local and seasonal. It is also one of the best ways to support your local community. You can also sign up for a vegetable box service as they generally are pretty good are keeping with the seasons. If you live in the Sutton area check out Sutton Community Farm. This is our local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm providing us with delicious seasonal food in our weekly fruit and vegetable bags.

Below you will find seasonal recipes organised by month so you can make the best of the season!