FOOD FOR THOUGHT: ADAPTING TO THE SEASONS

As I learn more and more about gardening and growing my own food, the more I start looking to the seasons and how we can eat sustainably. 

My most recent weekly menu was anything but - I took on a few technically challenging dishes - and I ended up buying some Spanish grown cherry tomatoes for a dish. What I wanted and what I got were two very different things. From now on, weak and pale-coloured tomatoes do not belong in my kitchen! 

Thanks to this article by Hungry City Hippy, I have been researching veg boxes. It turns out that Cardiff has some but nothing I feel could be worth the money. There is also no guarantee that it would be a seasonal box, as the box can be made up of non-seasonal vegetables. With a bit of effort, I can purchase seasonal produce (unpackaged) in my local greengrocers, for much cheaper. It will be a long way off before I start harvesting large quantities of produce, so this is the best solution for me at the moment. When I eventually return to work, a veg box might be the easier option. 

When we were planning to move house, we made a pledge that we would reduce our plastic recycling as much as we can. We've switched to a milk and juice delivery, which is a bit more expensive, but worth it. During winter we eat a lot of potatoes, so we invested in a 7.5 kg bag from Morrisons, which was only £3. The paper bag had a nice mixture of sizes, which is especially helpful as a baked potato is my lazy go-to meal. 

Between my local butcher and greengrocer, I am able to purchase the main bulk of the weekly shopping package free. It's this intentional way of shopping and living that I worry will disappear when I return to the rat race. Where I rock up at Aldi and just throw things mindlessly into my trolly. 

When that time comes, all I can do is implement the things I've learned and hope I keep it going.