Why Seasonal?
The word seasonal gets bandied around a lot and we all know what it means essentially, food that is in season. But what's the big deal, why does it make a difference and how can we get in on it easily?
The main thing for me is that things just taste a whole lot better when they’re fresh from the ground, grown with their natural season and picked when they are ready. And when it comes to encouraging young palates to try a variety of delicious fruits and vegetables, this is the best way to do it. Taking kids to hedgerows to pick blackberries or pyo strawberries or just foraging for apples under a tree teaches them so much about fresh fruit and veg, where it comes from and how delicious it is. They can help knock up a crumble with the goodies.
Food grown in season is picked at the right time, not forced into maturity and it doesn’t have the chance to lose it’s flavour on a hot lorry journey or in an aeroplane for days.
And crucially, because of all this, the vitamins, minerals and beautiful living goodness of seasonal food are WAY more potent. You get more from a fresh apple picked yesterday, than a strawberry from thousands of miles away grown in the winter.
Vegetable boxes and farmers markets are great for seasonal food. We love our weekly
Riverford Fruit and Veg Box that you can add to or cancel whenever but appears weekly with a beautiful array of fresh-from-the-farm goodies. One less thing to think about.
Trips to farmers markets are great for getting kids excited about fruit and veg.
I think it's a great way of cutting down on decisions and options when planning meals too! By checking out what's around now you have it all decided for you.
There's a great website that tells you exactly what's at its best when:
Eat the Seasons with lots of ideas and recipes to go with it.
I try and base most of the recipes here on seasonal goodies because I really think they taste a lot better and do so much more for you.
Happy Autumn everyone and here's to lots of cosy crumbles, roasted root vegetables, spiced muffins and long slow pots of goodness. Stay tuned for fall fabulousness.
