What is eating seasonally?
Eating seasonally really is exactly what it says on the tin- eating foods (specifically fruits and vegetables) that are grown at the same time and season as you eat them. By this, we mean you eat foods that are available to you in the climate and terrain that you have where you live, with the shortest time period between wiping off the soil and serving them up. Fruit and veg are always being grown somewhere in the world, but eating seasonally centers on eating produce that is being grown here and now. We want to allow the environment to cycle through its natural processes and seasons like it would without human interaction.
Famously, eating fresh is hailed as the best thing to do when it comes to produce. Ever wondered why? Read on to find out just why eating seasonal is the best thing you can do for your body and the planet.
Let’s look at the benefits
Eating seasonally is better for us
Yep, seasonal food is actually better for us than its artificially-ripened counterparts. Shocking, right?
Vitamin C degrades fairly quickly after the fruit and veg are picked, and that’s not the only thing that’s lost. When our fruit and veggies are being transported from here to there, folate, carotenes, and other phytonutrients begin to decline too, meaning your produce has a significant lack of these when you end up buying them in the supermarket. We do really need these nutrients as they’re the things that keep us healthy and nourished, and season-specific veg is season-specific for a reason. Summer fruits and veg provide us with carotenoids to help protect us from sun damage, and in the winter veg is wholesome and filling for cold winter nights. Try your best to up your local, seasonal produce intake where you’re able to.
We always try our best to supply seasonal foods here at Balance Box- we want to make sure that what you’re putting into your body is as healthy and delicious as it should be. That’s why all of our produce is purchased fresh from our neighbours at New Covent Garden Market. It’s the best way to eat.
Seasonal food tastes way better in season
In-season produce is sweeter, more flavoursome, and riper in taste than its out-of-season counterparts as it’s been picked at its peak ripeness and has had to travel almost no distance at all to our mouths. Volume and shelf-life of mass-produced and out-of-season crops are often ranked higher than the quality and taste, meaning sure, you can get your summer fruits in winter, but they won’t be anywhere near as delicious as they would be in June.
That’s why here at Balance Box, we always try our best to supply seasonal produce where we can. We want the best for you, really.
Eating seasonally supports the local community
Not only are you getting yourself a good deal when you’re buying seasonally, but you’re also supporting local farmers and your community. When you buy local seasonal produce you know that most, if not all of the profits are going directly to the people who grew it, enabling them to continue growing this far cheaper and more delicious product. This also creates jobs and supports economic growth in your area. Buying out of season from the shop benefits the retailer and transporter over the grower, and lowers the demand for the local grower’s seasonal produce. We know it’s not always possible to buy seasonal, and that’s ok! We think the best thing you can do for your body and your community is to just try and buy more local, seasonal produce, and reduce your purchasing of out-of-season produce. Every little helps!
When all’s said and done…
So really there’s a great number of reasons why we eat some things in summer and some just in winter- seasonal produce is tastier, healthier, and better for the environment than its out-of-season counterparts. Next time you go to stock up on fruits and veg head to your local farmers market to ensure you’re getting the freshest and ripest seasonal foods while supporting your community.
Here at Balance Box, we’re extremely lucky to be just a hop, skip, and jump away from New Covent Garden Market. Sourcing all our produce from them, we have constant access to seasonal fruit and veg picked just hours ago, making what’s in our meals delicious, fresh, and perfectly ripe. Want to make the most of seasonal produce without the effort? Find your perfect Balance Box today and receive 3 meals and 2 snacks a day to help you reach your health goals.
Order here now!