Eating local, seasonal and organic — what should you choose?
Choosing food that is in season and grown closer to home can bring more flavour and variety to your meals, often at a better price. Organic is another option to consider, especially when the difference in cost is small.
But putting that advice into practice needs to fit everyday life. In this article, I’ll share why I encourage these choices and what to look for, whether you shop at a market or your usual supermarket.
Start with the season
This is usually where I suggest starting with clients. Look at what is in season where you live, then check where it was grown. The two often go together: when a crop is being harvested nearby, you are more likely to find local produce in good supply.
We are so used to seeing the same fruit and vegetables all year that it is easy to forget they have a season. You might buy blueberries every week because they are part of your usual breakfast, without noticing that their origin changes throughout the year.
You can keep the breakfast and change the fruit! The same goes for vegetables in your usual pasta, soup or traybake. There is no need to find a new recipe every time.
It also gives you a reason to try something you might otherwise walk past.
Freshness makes a difference
A ripe tomato in summer, with olive oil and a few herbs, needs very little else. When the ingredients taste good, making a meal is often much simpler.
There is a nutritional reason to care about freshness too. Fruit and vegetables continue to change after harvesting, and some nutrients, particularly vitamin C, decrease during storage. Refrigeration slows this down, but the time between picking and eating still matters.
Buying recently harvested produce grown nearby can shorten that time. That is one of the reasons I encourage it.
If I am shopping in Portugal and see fresh Portuguese blueberries alongside ones from Peru during the Portuguese season, I would usually choose the Portuguese ones. They have travelled less, and I am supporting growers closer to home.
The country of origin won’t tell us their exact nutrient content — variety, ripeness and storage matter too — but it helps me make my choice.
When the season is over, I might buy another fruit or use frozen berries in my breakfast. The same approach works wherever you live.
You don’t have to shop at a market
Markets are lovely when you have the time, and speaking to a grower can help you find out more about the food you are buying. But you can make these choices in your usual supermarket too.
Just have a look at the label. A display with a farm picture or the words “seasonal favourites” doesn’t necessarily mean everything on it was grown nearby.
And a little mention for one supermarket — four letters, starting with an L! Here in Portugal, I think they do a good job of offering Portuguese and seasonal produce, alongside some affordable organic options. You can find similar choices in other European countries too, although the range changes with the country and season.
Have a look at the origin and prices in your own store. You don’t necessarily need a specialist shop to find what you want.
Compare the price per kilo, especially when the packets are different sizes. You might be surprised by how little extra an organic option costs, or find that the seasonal choice is cheaper.
Local, seasonal and organic are different things
It is easy to mix these up, so here is the distinction:
Local tells you that food was grown nearby. Something grown in the same country may still have travelled a considerable distance.
Seasonal means it is growing and being harvested at its usual time of year in that region.
Organic tells you about the production standards used.
You can buy local vegetables that are not organic, and organic vegetables that have travelled a long way.
At a market, ask where the produce comes from rather than assuming it was grown locally. If you want organic, look for certification.
In Portugal, the word is biológico. The EU green leaf logo and the accompanying control-body information identify certified organic products. “Natural” doesn’t mean the same thing.
Where organic fits in
I encourage choosing organic when it is available and affordable.
Organic farming restricts which pesticides and fertilisers can be used and includes practices intended to protect soil and biodiversity.
Research has also found that switching to an organic diet can reduce exposure to some pesticides. For me, that is a worthwhile reason to consider it.
Start with a few foods you eat regularly and compare the prices. You don’t need to change your whole shopping basket. Seasonal offers and frozen organic fruit or vegetables are worth checking too.
Clients sometimes ask whether produce from outside Europe follows different pesticide rules. Farming rules do vary between countries, but food imported into the EU must meet the same legal pesticide-residue limits as food grown here.
So checking the origin tells you one thing, and organic certification tells you another.
What about the Dirty Dozen?
You may have seen the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists. They can be a reference when deciding where to spend a little more on organic produce.
I work with clients in Portugal, the UK, Singapore and the US, and these lists are based on testing of food sold in the United States. They are therefore most relevant to my US clients, rather than an exact guide to what is in everyone’s local supermarket, but it helps use all to have an idea on where we should focus our attention.
I would much rather you keep eating a variety of fruit and vegetables than feel you have to leave them out because they aren’t organic.
A few things that help during the week
Buying fresh food is one part of it; making sure you use it is the other.
Think about when you will eat what you are buying. Use delicate fruit and leafy vegetables earlier in the week, and keep longer-lasting options for later. If you regularly throw away part of a large bag, buying less may work out better.
Keep some frozen vegetables and fruit at home too. They can retain nutrients well, and they are useful when the fridge is looking empty or you haven’t had time to shop. I often suggest them to clients.
And wash produce under running water before preparing or eating it, including organic and home-grown food. There is no need for soap or detergent.
What about heavy metals?
This sometimes comes up when we discuss pesticides, although it is a separate issue.
Heavy metals can occur naturally in soil and water, while pollution and some fertilisers add to them. Plants can absorb them as they grow. Looking after the soil and limiting sources of contamination can help, which is another reason I care about how our food is produced. Local or organic food is not necessarily free from heavy metals.
I offer hair mineral analysis through Mineral Check, which measures selected minerals and metals in a small hair sample. We discuss your concerns and what you hope to learn before deciding whether it is appropriate.
If you would like to ask about it, contact me directly.
A few useful links
If you want to check what is in season or read more about pesticide monitoring:
Next time you shop, have a look at what is in season, check the origin and compare a few prices. Choose something you enjoy and will use — that is a good place to start.
If you would like help with your meals, whether for your digestion, energy or training, find out about my 1:1 consultations or book a free discovery call.
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