Eating seasonal foods is one of the best things that you can do for your body, your wallet, the planet, and your recipe testing.
Seasonal Foods In Tune with Nature
Our bodies are meant to follow nature’s pace. So if you live in a place where seasons change and temperatures go up and down, you should take that into account in the way you live to improve your feeling of wellbeing.
What does that mean? Basically when the temperatures decrease and you benefit from less sunshine during the day, your body naturally will want to hibernate. Not like certain animals and you’ll want to disappear for the whole of winter. But it is normal to want to stay indoors, feeling cosy and eat heart-warming foods like soups and curries.
You need warm energy from cooked foods, where the nutrients have been broken down following the cooking process. Digestion is easier when your food is cooked and therefore your body doesn’t have to spend much energy breaking it down.
Similarly, when summer is in full swing, you can sleep a bit less than usual if you feel that it works for you. Use all the day light you have ! You can use the energy and vitamin D provided by the sun to spend more time outdoors, do more exercise and eat fresh uncooked foods.
When you eat according to the seasons, you get to eat fresher products because they are abundant and should be at every local supermarkets and suppliers.
Eat Local
When food is abundant around us, it becomes cheaper. It is a matter of offer and demand: if the offer is high, suppliers decrease their prices. This is why eating seasonal foods can definitely have an impact on your wallet.
Additionally, if the foods that are in season are produced heavily around you, they don’t have to travel the world to get to you. It is better for our planet !
How many times have you picked fruits and vegetables at the supermarket and they come from South Africa or New Zealand? They might not even have the same quality regulations abroad so when something is cheaper than locally. Always wonder how they were able to cut their prices.
And one thing I love is to get to know your grocer. Whether it’s at your local food market, or delivery boxes of odd fruit and veg, get the story. Where do they grow the food, how do they grow it? Do they have a farm with animals that you can visit, can you buy fresh eggs from them?
Building that connection brings you closer to the food you eat and improves your relationship with nature. We need to reconnect with nature as much as we can. We need to nurture our relationship to the elements that surround us.
If you are what you eat, then love what you eat and nourish your body with nutritious, delicious and seasonal foods.
Follow Your Mood
And finally, when you eat seasonal foods you are giving yourself the opportunity to switch things up. To bring diversity in the kitchen every few months. To try new recipes that are connected to Mother Nature.
I love drinking a golden latte in November when the weather gets cold and to eat warm porridge in the morning. And I happy-dance in my kitchen when I can get my frozen berries out of the freezer. It’s time to make refreshing smoothies to kick start my summer days.
I love autumn for root vegetables that are in all colours on the markets stalls, and the pumpkins in all shapes. I love spring for salad recipes that help me dream of new beginnings and warmer days.
Your mood changes as the seasons go by. Listen to your body and follow your instincts.
So, what are you making tonight? Let me know in the comments !
For spring recipes, you will like Avocado and Fennel Salad.
When summer comes around, these are my Go-To Recipes to bring to a barbecue.
For autumn, that’s my favourite Nutty Parsnip Soup.
And in winter, I love making this Christmas Porridge Recipe.
