Eating Seasonally
by Ruth Ninan | 17th Oct 2023
As seasons are cycling through and new foods are being introduced to menus across Ireland, it's a good time to think about seasonal foods and how we can keep up with the food trend.
Eating seasonally is a practice that has gained widespread attention in recent years, and for good reason. It offers benefits that extend beyond just satisfying your taste buds.
Sustainability is Key
One of the most compelling reasons to embrace seasonal eating is its undeniable sustainability. By choosing seasonal products, you help create a more sustainable food system through the following benefits.
1. Reduced Energy Consumption: Seasonal foods are often grown closer to home, which means they require less energy for transportation. This reduces the carbon footprint associated with long-distance shipping.
2. Lower Carbon Emissions: The transportation of out-of-season produce, often involving air or long road trips, generates a significant amount of carbon emissions. Eating seasonally helps lower these emissions and reduces the environmental impact of your food choices.
3. Efficient Farming Practices: Seasonal farming tends to be more efficient and sustainable. Farmers can focus on cultivating crops that thrive in the current weather conditions, leading to higher yields and less dependence on artificial inputs.
4. Biodiversity Preservation: Embracing seasonal foods encourages biodiversity. Different crops thrive in different seasons, which promotes crop rotation and helps maintain a healthy ecosystem in the soil. It also supports pollinators, essential for many crops' reproduction.
Peak Flavour and Nutrition
Beyond the sustainability aspect, eating seasonally ensures that you're consuming produce at its peak flavour and nutritional value. In-season fruits and vegetables are often harvested when they're fully ripe and at their tastiest.
Different seasons have different defining foods, Autumn for example offer pumpkins of course but also cabbages and leeks. Try out our new meals using in season vegetables this October!
Incorporate in some cabbage in a traditional Irish dinner, like our Pulled Gammon Buttered Cabbage Mash, or a comforting Potato and Leek Soup.