UK Seasonal Foods
Why eat seasonally? There are many good reasons to source our food locally and also seasonally.
As the world’s resources get scarcer we all need to play our part in protecting the environment by reducing our carbon footprint. Therefore, we should be more aware of where of food is coming from and think about carbon emissions and the energy needed to fly our food from the other side of the world. By eating seasonally and supporting out local economy we become more aware of our environment, and the part we play as well as how our food is grown and transported.
The majority of the UK live in urban areas and most people have little or no awareness of where are food is coming from or how it has been produced. When we start eating seasonally it makes us reconnect with nature’s seasons and appreciate that what is available to us locally. Also locally grown food tends to taste better and usually is better quality as it has not been stored and shipped thousands of miles before we see it in our kitchens. Eating seasonally can bring back the enjoyment of preparing and cooking food, trying out new recipes and different varieties of fruit and vegetables throughout the year.
What does seasonality eating look like:
Spring:
Scallops, sardines, spring lamb, seabass, crab, whiting, mackerel Pollock, and haddock.
Bay, flat leaf parsley, thyme, dill, marjoram, coriander, chervil, basil, chives, rosemary, oregano, tarragon, chives.
Spring onion, spinach, peas, broad beans, purple sprouting broccoli, rocket, jersey royals, chicory, hispi cabbage, new season and wild leaf garlic, radishes, artichokes, cauliflower, celery, asparagus, apricot, gooseberries, mango, elderflowers, rhubarb, blood orange.
Summer:
Grouse, Pollock, salmon, sea bass, coley, whiting, haddock, mackerel, crab.
Coriander, dill, oregano, rosemary, sage, mint, tarragon, chervil, bay, basil, marjoram, chives, flat leaf parsley, thyme, tomatoes, spring onion, samphire, peas, fennel, sweet corn, borlotti beans, spuds, asparagus, runner beans, radishes, peppers, Dorset chillies, chard, courgettes, broad beans, elderflowers, apricot, redcurrant, nectarine, blueberries, figs, damson, pear, greengages, raspberries, melon, grapes, rhubarb, strawberries, cherries, blackcurrants, peach, plums and blackberries.
Autumn:
Game and venison, sea bass, coley, sardines, mackerel, whiting, molluscs, Pollack, haddock, oysters, crab.
Chestnuts, wet walnuts, cobnuts.
Oregano, rosemary, mint, marjoram, thyme, bay, sage, flat leaf parsley, chives, basil, radishes, rocket, spuds, onions, turnips, white cabbage, red Savoy, peppers, tomatoes, fennel, Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips, kale, Brussels sprouts, wild mushrooms, courgettes, carrots, celeriac, celery, pumpkin, truffles, Swede, leek, butternut squash, aubergine, nectarine, elderflowers, figs, pears, clemetine, quince, grape, cranberries, Victoria plums, apples, blueberries, blackberries
Winter:
Goose, sea bass, molluscs, coley, oysters, flat fish, mackerel, haddock.
Sage, rosemary, bay, Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips, onions, turnips, red cabbage, broccoli, kale, savoy cabbage, watercress, spinach, swede, hispi cabbage, celery, cauliflower, butternut squash, artichokes, leeks, spuds, celeriac, chicory, Brussels sprouts, spuds, leeks, artichokes, quince, cranberries, rhubarb, pomegranate, Clementine, blood orange.
To keep the variety of food available to you throughout the year you can freeze, dry, bottle, can or make jams and pickles.
As the world’s resources get scarcer we all need to play our part in protecting the environment by reducing our carbon footprint. Therefore, we should be more aware of where of food is coming from and think about carbon emissions and the energy needed to fly our food from the other side of the world. By eating seasonally and supporting out local economy we become more aware of our environment, and the part we play as well as how our food is grown and transported.
The majority of the UK live in urban areas and most people have little or no awareness of where are food is coming from or how it has been produced. When we start eating seasonally it makes us reconnect with nature’s seasons and appreciate that what is available to us locally. Also locally grown food tends to taste better and usually is better quality as it has not been stored and shipped thousands of miles before we see it in our kitchens. Eating seasonally can bring back the enjoyment of preparing and cooking food, trying out new recipes and different varieties of fruit and vegetables throughout the year.
What does seasonality eating look like:
Spring:
Scallops, sardines, spring lamb, seabass, crab, whiting, mackerel Pollock, and haddock.
Bay, flat leaf parsley, thyme, dill, marjoram, coriander, chervil, basil, chives, rosemary, oregano, tarragon, chives.
Spring onion, spinach, peas, broad beans, purple sprouting broccoli, rocket, jersey royals, chicory, hispi cabbage, new season and wild leaf garlic, radishes, artichokes, cauliflower, celery, asparagus, apricot, gooseberries, mango, elderflowers, rhubarb, blood orange.
Summer:
Grouse, Pollock, salmon, sea bass, coley, whiting, haddock, mackerel, crab.
Coriander, dill, oregano, rosemary, sage, mint, tarragon, chervil, bay, basil, marjoram, chives, flat leaf parsley, thyme, tomatoes, spring onion, samphire, peas, fennel, sweet corn, borlotti beans, spuds, asparagus, runner beans, radishes, peppers, Dorset chillies, chard, courgettes, broad beans, elderflowers, apricot, redcurrant, nectarine, blueberries, figs, damson, pear, greengages, raspberries, melon, grapes, rhubarb, strawberries, cherries, blackcurrants, peach, plums and blackberries.
Autumn:
Game and venison, sea bass, coley, sardines, mackerel, whiting, molluscs, Pollack, haddock, oysters, crab.
Chestnuts, wet walnuts, cobnuts.
Oregano, rosemary, mint, marjoram, thyme, bay, sage, flat leaf parsley, chives, basil, radishes, rocket, spuds, onions, turnips, white cabbage, red Savoy, peppers, tomatoes, fennel, Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips, kale, Brussels sprouts, wild mushrooms, courgettes, carrots, celeriac, celery, pumpkin, truffles, Swede, leek, butternut squash, aubergine, nectarine, elderflowers, figs, pears, clemetine, quince, grape, cranberries, Victoria plums, apples, blueberries, blackberries
Winter:
Goose, sea bass, molluscs, coley, oysters, flat fish, mackerel, haddock.
Sage, rosemary, bay, Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips, onions, turnips, red cabbage, broccoli, kale, savoy cabbage, watercress, spinach, swede, hispi cabbage, celery, cauliflower, butternut squash, artichokes, leeks, spuds, celeriac, chicory, Brussels sprouts, spuds, leeks, artichokes, quince, cranberries, rhubarb, pomegranate, Clementine, blood orange.
To keep the variety of food available to you throughout the year you can freeze, dry, bottle, can or make jams and pickles.
- Drying (or dehydration): This is a useful method for storing fruits and some vegetables, many of the herbs can be dried and used throughout the year.
- Canning, or pickling: requires containers (which are reusable with the exception of lids, which may deteriorate over time) but does require proper preparation, cooking equipment, and skill.
- Freezing again: requires some cooking preparation, as well as a freezer and proper containers.