Seasonal Food Sustainable Food

Many industrialized countries have abundant land for agriculture with highly fertile soil but majority of available vegetables and fruits in the markets are imported. Does this mean the consumption of seasonal produce has disappeared from the developed world? If experts are to be believed, approximately two and a half planet’s worth of resources will be required if all countries start leading a European lifestyle. Consumers across the world maybe enjoying exotic produce all year around but the global food transportation has increased greenhouse gas emission and carbon footprint to a great extent.

Not everyone can grow their own vegetables or rear livestock but making a sustainable purchase can make a lot of difference. Consumption of seasonal produce can be one of the most healthy and effective ways to support the sustainable food movement. However, not all food items exported from other countries add to the exploitation of farmers across the world. There are many fair-trade products that are exported from developing countries and the developed markets help the farmers from poor countries make a living. So, in case you want to buy out-of season vegetables or fruits, try looking for products that are fair-trade certified.

By choosing these products consumers will ensure that the disadvantaged farm owners get a fair deal for their produce and families get to enjoy unprocessed sustainably grown fruits and vegetables. One can’t deny the benefits of opting seasonal produce but it will be interesting to see whether or not the consumers change their eating habits and add a dash of ‘sustainability’ to their daily diet.