Local, seasonal produce

Put simply, locally produced food harvested in season has a much smaller carbon footprint than imported food grown out of season.

Seasonal crops are often grown in more sustainable ways, as they thrive in the local climate without needing excessive additional resources like water or synthetic fertilisers to help them grow.

Importing out-of-season food often results in higher emissions, greater resource consumption, and more waste, which all contribute to climate change and environmental degradation. Eating locally and seasonally, on the other hand, is a way to minimize these impacts and support more sustainable food systems.

Local and seasonal foods do not involve long-distance transportation, which reduces the greenhouse gas emissions linked to their production and processing. The shorter the supply chain, the lower the carbon footprint and less damage to the wider environment.

Eating seasonally often means eating more plant-based foods that are grown locally, which have a lower environmental impact than animal-based products. Encouraging plant-based eating helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and environmental degradation associated with livestock farming.

Buying locally grown produce also means supporting farmers and growers in your local community, area or across Lanarkshire. It helps keep small-scale farming economically viable, supports independent businesses and contributes to the local economy. Plus, it means being less dependent on large-scale industrial agriculture with its associated environmental and ethical issues.

Cooking healthily with fresh produce

Fresh produce grown in season tends to be more nutritious and better for us. This is because it is harvested when fully ripe and consumed more quickly, retaining more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants compared with out-of-season produce, which may have been harvested unripe, stored for longer periods or shipped from far away.

Fresh food usually contains less added sugar, unhealthy fats, preservatives and artificial ingredients found in ultra-processed foods (UPFs). This can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Community Food and Health aims to ensure that everyone in Scotland has the opportunity, ability and confidence to access a healthy and acceptable diet for themselves, their families and their communities.

The Soil Association has investigated the wider environmental impacts of ultra-processed foods (UPFs).

Foraging

Foraging is a way to harvest food from the wild with minimal environmental impact, supporting biodiversity, reducing carbon emissions, and encouraging more sustainable food practices. Plus, it reconnects us to nature and is food for free!

Many wild plants are naturally more resilient to climate extremes, including droughts and floods, because they’ve evolved in their local environment. Foraging can promote the knowledge and use of these hardy species, which are more adaptable to a changing climate.

Galloway Wild Foods has a wealth of in-depth information focussing on foraging in Scotland.

NatureScot also has a section dedicated to foraging, exploring the abundance of delicious and nutritious wild food in Scotland’s woodlands, hedgerows, moorland and seashores waiting to be discovered.

Back to Food Main Menu

Continue to reducing food waste

Seasonality

Local, seasonal produce

Cooking healthily with fresh produce

Foraging