The Benefits Of Seasonal Eating

Posted on September 2, 2019

The Benefits of Seasonal Eating

With each new season comes lots of fresh new produce to try, refreshing your cooking and making meals more interesting. Eating fruit and vegetables that are in season lets you enjoy the freshest ingredients as nature intended, and it’s good for your health too.

Here are six reasons you should adapt your diet as the seasons change.

1. Full of flavour
Food which is in season has ripened naturally and is picked at the perfect time, and it tastes so much better. Think fresh blackberries picked straight from the bush in summer.

2. Supporting your immune system
Ingredients which are in season may provide the nutrients that your body needs at different times of the year, naturally boosting your immune system. They are full of goodness to support your body’s natural cycle, such as cucumbers and berries which help us stay hydrated in warmer weather.

3. Packed with nutrients
Because they are picked at their most fresh, seasonal ingredients have a greater nutritional value than out of season fruit and veg. And because a seasonal diet offers variety throughout the year, your health will benefit from a wide range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that change with the seasons.

4. Better for the environment
Seasonal produce can often be grown organically without the use of pesticides, making it a better choice for the planet. Eating produce which is grown close to home will reduce the distance your food travels to reach your plate, which will in turn help to reduce pollution.

5. Promoting local business
Buying from suppliers and shops where you live supports local business, and gives you access to expert knowledge, recommendations and even recipe ideas from people who are passionate about seasonal ingredients.

6. More creative in the kitchen
Instead of using the same ingredients all year round, seasonal eating lets you experiment with fresh flavours, new recipes and tasty combinations that you haven’t tried before. It’s one of the easiest ways to make mealtime more interesting.

What’s in season now?
To help you introduce more seasonal ingredients into your diet, here is a handy list of which foods are in season throughout the year.

Springtime (March to May)
Rhubarb
Cucumber
Jersey Royal New Potatoes
Radishes
Savoy Cabbage
Spinach
Spring Onion
Watercress

Summertime (June to August)
Blueberries
Currants
Elderflowers
Plums
Raspberries
Strawberries
Aubergine
Beetroot
Broad Beans
Broccoli
Carrots
Courgettes
Cucumber
Fresh Peas
Garlic
Green Beans
Lettuce and Salad Leaves
New potatoes
Radishes
Rocket
Runner Beans
Salad Onions
Tomatoes
Watercress

Autumn (September to November)
Apples
Blackberries
Elderberries
Pears
Plums
Beetroot
Carrot
Celeriac
Fennel
Field Mushrooms
Kale
Leeks
Lettuce
Marrow
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Rocket
Squashes
Sweetcorn
Tomatoes
Watercress

Winter (December to February)
Apples
Pears
Beetroot
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Fennel
Kale
Leeks
Parsnips
Potatoes
Red Cabbage
Swede
Turnips