Seasonal eating

This article first appeared in our World Environment Day 2026 issue of My Green Pod Magazine, published 05 June 2026. Click here to subscribe to our digital edition and get each issue delivered straight to your inbox

Most of us know that ‘eating seasonally’ is a good thing – but what does that actually mean?

The reality is that seasonal eating can help counter some of the biggest pressure points in our food system: carbon emissions, water use, biodiversity, soil health and local farming livelihoods – and it usually costs you less.

At Olio, we’re passionate about building stronger, more sustainable food systems. A big part of that is eating the food we produce rather than throwing it away – but making good choices about what we eat, and when, matters just as much.

Here’s a deeper look at why seasonal eating deserves more attention than it gets.

The environmental case

When you buy a tomato in January, it was most likely grown in a heated greenhouse in Spain or the Netherlands, or flown in from Morocco.

Out-of-season produce relies on energy-hungry growing environments, air freight (which generates up to 50 times more CO² per kilogram than sea transport) and long, cold-chain logistics. A British tomato grown in August has a fraction of the carbon footprint of a tomato imported in winter.

Carbon is only part of the picture. Growing crops in drought-prone countries to meet year-round UK demand puts serious pressure on water sources that are already depleted.

Seasonal and rotational farming – growing different crops in sequence across a field – is far better for soil health, reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers and building organic matter over time. And when we eat a wider variety of seasonal foods, we support farms that grow a wider variety of crops, which in turn supports more diverse wildlife habitats and pollinators.

It’s local – & it’s cheaper

Choosing British, seasonal produce supports UK farmers directly. When supermarkets can source cheaper year-round produce from overseas, it erodes the market for domestic growers. Buying a British leek in winter or a British strawberry in June sends a signal through the supply chain that local food has value.

When a crop is in season there’s more of it – and prices fall as a result. A punnet of British strawberries in June costs a fraction of the price you’d pay in December, when they have likely been grown in Morocco and flown in.

Shopping seasonally, especially from markets, greengrocers or veg box schemes, is one of the most underrated ways to cut your food bill. And the flavour is usually better, too – because the veg didn’t spend two weeks in a shipping container.