Eat with the seasons

Eating seasonally is good for the planet, plus it can be a great way to expand your culinary repertoire and mix up those veggie options. But you’ll also get fresher produce with a higher nutrient content. Check out our top tips to eat with the seasons.

Locally grown
‘Eating with the seasons means you can eat food grown locally, which takes less time from picking to your plate so it is fresher than food grown in other countries,’ says nutritional therapist Stephanie Ridley (nourishtoflourish.com). ‘Levels of certain nutrients and antioxidants decrease after picking so eating seasonally can be more nutritious.’

A tasty experience
Plus it can add variety to your meal times. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut eating the same old veggies at every meal, but eating seasonally will encourage you to mix things up. ‘Eating seasonally means you get more variety in your diet over the seasons. Nowadays you can eat the same foods year in year out, but eating seasonally forces you to add more variety to foods, which means a greater variety of nutrients,’ says Stephanie. ‘Nutrients work in synergy so variety is always a good thing.’

And we’re not just talking veggies. ‘Eating seasonally not only means fruit and veg, but also seafood, meat and herbs.’ And changing the ingredients you use could see your favourite dishes becoming even tastier! ‘The flavours of foods in season are superior to those out of season,’ says Stephanie. ‘So meals are not only more nutritious, but also more tasty!’

Wallet winner
And, as if that wasn’t enough, it can be kinder to your purse, too! ‘Eating seasonally is usually cheaper,’ says Stephanie. ‘So it’s a win, win, win!’

In season now
So what should you be looking out for? ‘Spring in the UK is a great season – asparagus and Jersey Royals potatoes are not to be missed! ‘And greens such as spinach and watercress are in season, too.’ says Stephanie. Yum! Perfect for springtime salads!

For dessert look to British favourite rhubarb. Rhubarb jams, crumbles, cheesecakes, pie and pannacottas are all dinner party favourites.

And for main? ‘Fish-wise crab and sea trout are in season and for meat, it’s lamb.’ says Stephanie. ‘So an asparagus starter followed by lamb with Jersey Royals and spinach, or sea trout with a watercress sauce followed by rhubarb fool is the perfect springtime meal.’

Check out eattheseasons.co.uk for some more great ideas.