"YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT"

Local Food

Farmers’ markets and farm shops are just two examples of the localisation of our shopping and eating habits. There are now over 500 registered farmers’ markets in Britain and over 30% of the population say they use them. Many greengrocers and restaurants now specialise in local produce, there are several local and regional ‘veggie box’ schemes, and more people now want to grow their own vegetables.

In a 2003 survey, which included both Morrison’s and Sainsbury, Friends of the Earth found that supermarkets were the most expensive place to buy apples. Local market stalls and greengrocers beat all the supermarkets on price. A survey for Sustain in 2000 found that fruit and vegetables were around 30% cheaper at market stalls than supermarkets and a survey commissioned by the South West Local Food Partnership showed that where equivalent produce could be found the products sold at the farmers’ market were better value, and on average 30-40% cheaper than those in supermarkets.

Here in Gloucestershire we have the climate and soils to produce some of the best food and drink in Britain. Visit one of our regular farmers’ markets for proof!  We have wonderful local breads, cheeses, wines, ciders and perries, wholesome free-range meats, eggs and freshwater fish. Farmers markets visit a variety of towns within Gloucestershire – check http://www.fresh-n-local.co.uk/ for details.

Buying local food:

o     Ensures freshness and maximum nutritional value

o     Reduces ‘food miles’, packaging and waste.

o     Encourages regional identity

o     Encourages varieties based on flavour not shelf life

o     Re-establishes connections between grower and shopper

o     Supports the local economy

o     Supports small and specialist producers

o     Is often cheaper than the supermarket equivalent

o     Is a solution to a rapidly warming planet  with dwindling oil reserve

Organic Food

The pressure for farms is to produce masses of food with textbook appearances all year round, which is naturally impossible. Farmers then turn to chemically induced fertilizers to accelerate the growth, kill insects and produce a socially expected appearance. These chemicals are a deathly mix of nitrates and phosphates specifically designed to each crop, meaning they can damage surrounding plants or the immediate environment.

When we eat the crops, these chemicals are transferred from the foods and into our bodies. Some of these substances have been linked to a weakened immune system, reproductive disorders, and even cancer. In addition, some of these substances are “bio-accumulators” – this means that they are not broken down by the body’s digestive system so levels build up within a person as they get older.

Buying organic food is the best way to ensure that there are fewer chemicals in your food, as there are severe restrictions upon the use of manufactured fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides. In addition, organic famers have to meet strict animal welfare guidelines so excellent welfare of farm animals is ensured. Organic food has to be certified and tested to make sure it is of good quality - it is fresh, tasty and much healthier.

Seasonal Food

Until the last few decades, most British people ate only seasonal foods. The globalization of food markets, the rise and rise of a supermarket shopping culture, and the advent of packaging technology has enabled us to buy and eat as though it was permanent summertime.

It no longer seems unusual to mix and match traditional winter and summer vegetables like parsnips and courgettes in one dish or to eat salads all winter. Yet this apparent bounty is environmentally unsustainable as well as plain unimaginative.

In winter, summer vegetables either have to be transported from the southern hemisphere or grown in greenhouses with the aid of artificial heat and light. Both processes involve considerable use of valuable fossil fuels. What’s more, preserving summer vegetables relies on chemical treatment. Packaged salad leaves, for example have been washed in chlorine and kept for up to two weeks in a plastic bag full of gas while their anti-oxidants and vitamins fade away. Seasonal fruit and vegetables are fresher so they taste better, and they fit well into the natural rhythm and structure of our seasonally dependent lives.   

Why seasonal food:

o     Fresher – picked to maximize food quality

o     Healthier – because it’s fresher

o     Cheaper

o     More variety –  less food boredom

o     More environmentally sustainable – less global warming

o     Better understanding of food – bringing a structure and rhythm to our cooking and shopping

o     Improved shopping and cooking skills – dealing with a wider variety of produce, recipes and techniques

For links relating to food please go to our food links page.

For more info on our Get up and Grow project click here.