Fresh

Here’s your daily reminder to appreciate and champion fresh British seasonal produce! 

In a world where we can pretty much get whatever ingredients we want whenever we want, it’s no surprise that fewer than 1 in 10 brits know when the UK’s most popular fruit and veg is in season. There are so many reasons why it is important to eat seasonally but to summarise a few:

• Eating seasonally goes hand in hand with eating locally. This means local producers are not forced to grow out of season with artificial inputs like heat, light and fertilisers. 

• Eating out of season has a massive carbon footprint due to the energy needed to recreate these conditions (even if it is still something grown in the UK but not in season).

• What’s more, since local produce hasn’t travelled as far, it’s fresher and often richer in nutrients. This also means the produce is less reliant on harmful chemicals which have unfortunately become standard practice with out-of-season harvests. These artificial inputs are bad for the planet as well as your health - nobody wants to be ingesting unnecessary pesticides. Eating seasonally actually tastes much better, as well as being better for you!

Here is a rough guide to British seasonal produce:

SPRING

Asparagus, Carrots, Cauliflower, Chicory, Celeriac, Cucumber, Curly Kale, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Savoy Cabbage, Spring Onions, Spinach, Gooseberries, Rhubarb.

SUMMER

Beetroot, Broad beans, Carrots, Cauliflower, Courgettes, Cucumber, Fennel, Peas, Garlic, Lettuce, New Potatoes, Radishes, Sage, Squash, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Currents, Plums, Raspberries, Strawberries.

AUTUMN

Aubergine, Mushrooms, Lettuce, Marrow, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Rocket, Squash, Sweetcorn, Apples, Blackberries, Pears, Plums & Figs. 

WINTER

Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Fennel, Leeks, Kale, Parsnips, Potatoes, Swede, Apples, Pears, Quince.

For a more in depth look (month by month) here is a great resource.

Here are easy things to do to make a difference, all incredibly easy to start and make a habit without even thinking about it!

• If eating seasonally is something you want to support more, look at the labels. Before purchasing, check out the country of origin so you can make an informed choice. You will soon notice which British produce is in season!

• Get to know local green grocers and your food community - they need the support and this helps shape the movement! 

• Read up. No textbooks needed - the beauty of food bloggers/Instagram/TikTok allows for a much more fun and creative look into how to cook seasonally. I highly recommend @bettinaskitchen, @rebelrecipes @alfiecooks @plantacademylondon @thelittlelondonvegan to name a few.

• Talk about it. Word of mouth is powerful and the more these subjects are spoken about, the higher up on the agenda they will become. 

Here are some incredible London restaurants that hero fresh seasonal British produce:

• Apricity, Mayfair (£££ - Michelin Green Star and totally worth it) - Hyper-seasonal, sustainable produce from small-scale farmers & locally foraged ingredients.

• Silo, Hackney (£££) Incredible zero waste restaurant, with a menu built around natural farming and closed loop cooking, demonstrating quality within sustainability.

• Duke of Cambridge, Islington (££) Britain's first organic pub, Soil Association certified since 1998, serving the freshest seasonal ingredients sourced from local organic farmers and growers.

• Mallow, Borough Market & Canary Wharf (££) - Brought to you by the team behind Mildreds, Mallow is a 100% plant-based, sustainable concept.

• Tendrill, Soho (££) - A (mostly) vegan kitchen & bar focused on moving the conversation on from fake meat and heavily processed ‘plant based’ ingredients, to putting brilliant vegetables back in the spotlight.

• Purezza, Camden (£) Brilliant plant based pizza that is committed to using ingredients that are locally sourced, sustainable, and ethically produced.

• Fam Bar, Oxford Street (££) - Ingredients chosen by understanding where they have come from and the processes through which they are made. The team takes it in turns to do a weekly Borough Market shop because they like to have personal relationships with suppliers.

• Nine Lives, Bermondsey (££) - Incredible cocktails and a real cool music vibe. Nothing is wasted, ingredients are chosen responsibly, and many of the fresh herbs found throughout the menu are grown in the bar’s own garden, which is tended in partnership with St Mungo’s, the charity that helps people move from homelessness back into society.