Better Food for All : Seasonal Sunday

This is the final article in a series which set out to challenge how we relate food and hopefully encourage behavioural change or at least some thinking about the food we eat, where it comes from and the impact its production may have on other people or places.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Nov 2013, 07:55 BST

Challenge 7 :

Seasonal Sunday

Sunday is a day when people often gather together as a family celebrate, usually over a well prepared and substantial meal. So, this is the perfect time in the week to make a statement through the food you eat! A typical Sunday dinner may have travelled as much as 30,000 miles to be on your plate. Just imagine the energy, water and chemicals involved in the process of growing and then transporting this meal, never mind the energy and resources you use to actually purchase and prepare it. It’s no wonder we do not really appreciate the true cost and impact of our food.

Eating food in season is better for the environment and better for you because there are less chemical inputs to produce. You are more likely to have a closer relationship with the person who produces or sells it and you can learn some new recipes in the process. You could even become the ultimate seasonal eater and learn how to grow your own food? Eating seasonally means you are supporting local growers, producers and retailers which can only be a good thing! If every adult in Ballymoney spent £5 per week in local shops and on local goods or services, this would add up to £6 million to the local economy per year. Think how many jobs this could sustain and create?

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The best resource for finding out more about seasonal food is a website www.eatseasonably.co.uk This tells you what you can eat and grow monthly. If you get involved in thinking about where your food comes from, it may seem overwhelming to imagine that you have to change everything you do immediately. That’s not what these 7 challenges are about though. Why not change a percentage of what you do and build on that? The important thing to remember with all 7 challenges is that you have a choice and the choices you make can change your life and the lives of others but ultimately don’t forget the most important challenge – enjoy the food you eat!

For more information on Better Food for All or any of the 7 challenges, contact Borough Services on 028 2766 0257.