Local and Seasonal

GIVES MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK!

WORDS HEIDI JENNINGS | IMAGES ASHLEE DECAIRES

As the high cost of living continues, it’s tempting to tighten our belts and forego healthy food options in favour of cheaper junk food. This is a very real scenario for many families but becomes a false economy as physical and mental health starts to decline through poor nutrition.

The solution is to get clever with how to eat healthy, nutrientdense food without having to take out a loan, and we can do this by seasonal and local eating. Seasonal means consuming foods picked or harvested at the same time of year they come to market, and local means consuming foods near the place they are grown. The benefits of this approach are severalfold. In our globalised market, buying goods imported from a far-off location might be convenient and cater to our whims, but the cost of transporting them here is inevitably passed to the consumer. The best place to find inexpensive produce is at your local farmers market or by joining a co-op, which will typically buy fresh seasonal fruit and veggies from local suppliers and growers every week and sell them to you for a lower price than you will find at the supermarket. Health-wise, seasonal and local produce is naturally sun-ripened, fresher, tastes better and will have a higher nutritional value due to less time in storage and a shorter time between harvest and consumption. Fresh produce requires fewer preservatives and chemicals and negates the need for ‘waxing’ to preserve shelf life. Seasonal eating also supports the body’s nutritional needs for each of the seasons’ climates. Knowing what produce is in season can be tricky because these days we have access to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables imported from abroad. Spring is the time for green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, celery, cabbage, silverbeet and spinach. As the weather warms up, our bodies naturally crave lighter foods, so go for salads instead of soups and stews. Other common spring vegetables include asparagus, beetroot, carrots, courgettes, cucumber, avocados, kūmara, mushrooms, leeks, potatoes and cauliflower.

Citrus fruits are abundant in spring, including oranges, tangelos, grapefruit and lemons. Tinned fruits and frozen berries on sale and bought in bulk are a good option while we eagerly await summer berries and stone fruits. Now is the time to get stuck into healthy smoothies and green juices. Aside from fresh produce, here are some other key ways to keep your grocery bill (and health) in check: • Buy dried goods such as grains (rice, pasta) and tinned foods in bulk when they are on sale. • Make meals from scratch rather than relying on the prepackaged variety. • Don’t shop on an empty stomach (that’s a recipe for disaster!). • Batch cook to prepare the week’s meals in advance, so you always have meals on hand and don’t succumb to takeaways. • Eat fewer meat-based meals and fill up on plant-based meals packed with legumes such as beans and lentils instead. • Freeze fruits and vegetables to prevent them going off and use for homemade soups and smoothies. • Use cash for buying groceries so you can’t go over budget.

When we give our bodies whole, fresh, nutritious foods, we actually need a lot less food than we think. Cravings for sugar, salt and fat tend to fall by the wayside when the body is getting all the goodness it needs. Think about this the next time you find yourself loading up the trolley with packaged and processed convenience foods. You are paying for all that packaging and those artificial ingredients, not to mention adding unnecessary calories and health problems further down the track. It’s worth giving some thought to how you can bring more fresh, nutrient-dense local and seasonal foods into your life this spring – your wallet and waistline will thank you!

HEIDI’S SPRING BREEZE JUICE

Aptly named Spring Breeze because of its refreshing, zesty taste, this juice will make your insides sing!

SERVES 2

4 green apples, cored and quartered 2 whole cucumbers, roughly chopped 5–6 stalks celery, roughly chopped leaves of 4 mint sprigs juice of 1 lime

1. Place all ingredients into a juicer and juice. 2. Serve in a tall glass with ice. Note: Make sure you use a juicer, not a blender – these are two very different appliances!

Heidi Jennings | 0275 431 387 jenningshealthcoach.com

Heidi Jennings is a holistic health coach, plant-based nutrition specialist and Amazon #1 bestselling author who empowers her clients to take control of their health and live a life they truly love.

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