Lucy Nott: Eating British only is a tough challenge

Do you practise what you preach? Last year, I challenged myself to buy British food as much as possible in a bid to be more climate friendly.

I went cold (British) turkey and, let me tell you, it’s hard. Really hard. We are so conditioned to have a wide choice of food available year round.

Broccoli in February? Nope. Peppers in your winter spag bol? Nope. A Jazz apple? You’re having a laugh!

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About the author

Lucy Nott

Farmlife opinion writer

Lucy lives with her husband, a sixth-generation farmer, and their two children on a 100ha (250 acre) arable farm in Worcestershire. On the farm they have a passion for regenerative agriculture and aspire to transition to a regenerative system. They are also part of the Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot and are trialling lots of new things on the farm. They hosted their first LEAF Open Farm Sunday (LOFS) this year and Lucy is now the LOFS Ambassador for the West Midlands.

Read more articles by Lucy Nott

Forget veganism. Eating seasonally would make a colossal difference to an individual’s carbon footprint and bring extra joy to food. Nothing is better than the first crunch of a spring asparagus or bite of a summer strawberry.

Who’d have thought it, but seasonal food generally matches up to seasonal cravings. Hearty root vegetables for gravy dishes in the winter and lighter salad vegetables for, well, salad, in the summer.

We often glorify the old days of corner shops and village greengrocers. But, whether we like it or not, the world has developed so much since then, there is no going back. The big supermarkets are here to stay.

Online grocery shopping is here to stay. Plus, the rise of rapid grocery apps means with the click of a button you can avoid the bleak January weather and get your emergency Spanish strawberries.

This month, Tesco’s social media team referred to the British “pig harvest” on Twitter (don’t get me started) – a prime example of detachment from seasonality and food production

This month, Tesco’s social media team referred to the British “pig harvest” on Twitter (don’t get me started) – a prime example of detachment from seasonality and food production. 

Supermarkets must change

Climate-conscious rural dwellers may be able to access local veg and meat boxes, but for the vast majority of the urban population, this isn’t easily possible. Change needs to happen at consumer level to make an impact.

I would love to see British seasonal products grouped together on supermarket shelves with clear labelling, so customers can quickly glance and see what’s in season.

No one is perfect. I live and work on a British farm and I love avocados as much as the next millennial. But let’s eat seasonally, make consumer messaging simple and keep supermarkets accountable.