Eating seasonal became quite a catchword when talking about sustainable nutrition. When you take a closer look at the concept, it quickly becomes clear that the definition can be interpreted in very different ways. Moreover, when considering different parameters for sustainability, seasonality is a complicated issue.
What does seasonal mean?
Each type of fruit and vegetable has its own set of specific conditions for ideal growth and quality. For this reason, fruit and vegetables are grown and harvested in different locations and in different seasons throughout the year.
The term ‘seasonal’ is not well-defined and changes depending on the context it is used in:
- it can be used synonym with local
- it can mean that it’s closely connected to a cultural event
- or can involve reconnecting with the origins of the foods and learning about the natural growing seasons
One approach used by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in the UK’s focus on where the main aspects depend on when the foods were produced and where they were consumed.
- Global seasonality: based on where the food is produced. This refers to foods that are produced in season but not necessarily consumed where they were locally harvested. For example, apples grown and harvested during the growing season in New Zealand but eaten in Europe during the spring and summer seasons.
- Local seasonality: based on where the food is produced and then consumed. This refers to foods that are harvested and eaten locally during the natural growing season. For example, apples grown and harvested during summer and autumn, and eaten in October, in Europe.
What is the environmental impact of seasonal fruit and vegetables?
The foods we eat not only affect our health, but also the health of the environment. These environmental impacts are measured using a method known as life cycle assessments (LCAs). This technique helps us measure and understand the impact of foods on the environment throughout the stages of the supply chain; from growing, harvesting, storing, transporting, all the way to consumption. Many studies concentrate on estimating the carbon footprint through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
What about seasonal fruit and vegetables? The environmental benefits of seasonal fruit and vegetables are often attributed to the shorter distances they travel. The contribution of transportation to the carbon footprint is usually lower than the emissions coming from the methods of production.
When it comes to a sustainable diet, it is more about what you eat, than where your food comes from.
Climate-controlled greenhouses can mean less land used, less food wasted, lower pesticides and high yields, the energy needed to heat these buildings is significant. So much so, that global seasonality can be an environmentally-friendly choice as well.
Should we eat seasonal fruit and vegetables?
In short, yes! While local and seasonal produce may have lower environmental impacts, global seasonality has helped not only expand global food markets but perhaps more importantly helped to provide a more varied and consistent supply of fruit and vegetables all year round, helping to increase the diversity of your diet and making sure you get a good balance of micronutrients throughout the year, especially for if you live in a country that has limited production seasons.
Graphic: pro specie rara (source)
Tips for choosing less greenhouse gas (GHG) intensive fruit and vegetables
- Reduce highly perishable and air freighted out of season produce: fragile, highly perishable, and out of season soft fruit (berries, cherries) or exotic fruit (lychees, papayas, passion fruit) and out of season vegetables (asparagus, green beans, peas) are often transported by airplane because they spoil quicker. This greatly increases their GHG emissions.
- Reduce out of season Mediterranean style produce: these are often grown in heated greenhouses around Europe or under protection (sometimes heated) overseas, all of which requires additional energy input. Examples include tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, peppers, salads, and cucumbers.
- Pre-prepared produce: this includes trimmed or chopped produce, like salad bags, bowls, fruit salads and pre-cut fruit and vegetables, such as cut pineapple. These usually involve additional energy inputs from washing, refrigeration to the plastic packaging compared to whole fruit and vegetables.
- Get familiar with your country’s seasonal fruit and vegetables
Foraging
Not only knowing the seasonal foods at the supermarket, but knowing which wild plants are edible is next level! A wide selection of edible wild plants grows in nature: Fruits, seeds, roots and herbs that are often more nutritious than supermarket produce - and can offer stunning flavors. All we have to do is look closely. And grab. For this you should follow a few rules and of course have enough botanical knowledge not to risk your health.
- Do not pick anything in nature reserves and no protected species!
- Only take what you can recognize without a doubt - Note if there are any possibilities of confusion with highly toxic plants.
- Identification books provide indispensable help here.
- Collect only as much as you can use at the time or is necessary for your supplies!
- Pick only those plant parts that are necessary for processing!
- Never harvest entire stands; there should always be enough plants left at the place of discovery to ensure their continued existence!
- Do not collect wild plants along busy roads.
Meet the wild relatives of some plants commonly used
Credits:
Created with images by daarnautova - "Bunch of freshly picked homegrown organic carrot in men's farmer hand on a vegetable garden close-up with copy space.Rustic style.Healthy food concept.Horizontal orientation" • pikselstock - "Picking mushrooms in the woods "