Winter is almost upon us. With that in might, I think it is important to discuss how to eat sustainably in the winter.
If you are new to the blog or don’t know me in person, you may not know that I live in Canada, the land of nasty winters (especially last year…yikes). With the weather we experience from December to around March or even April each year, a huge portion of the year is dedicated to cold, snow and ice. What does that mean for our growing season?
One of the topics I often discuss on the blog is sustainable eating. I promote eating fresh produce from your local farmers, engaging in community supported agriculture and farming opportunities. But how can we participate in these activities in the winter? Equally as important, how can we eat well without increasing our carbon footprint?
1. Buy foods when they’re in season and freeze them.
While produce like berries, peaches, and other fresh favourites are only in season for a limited time, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them year-round without shipping them in from another country. The secret? A little preparation and good storage techniques.
You can freeze most fruits and vegetables to enjoy at a later time. There are a few steps to do this. Wash your produce first. For fruits like berries, dry and transfer them onto a baking sheet in a single layer, freeze for a few hours, then transfer them into an air-tight reusable container. For larger fruits, chop them up and mix them with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C!) which you can buy at most grocery/health food stores. For vegetables, blanch (quickly boil) and shock (cold water bath) them, dry and transfer them into a reusable container. When you’re ready to eat frozen fruit, simply add them to smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal, pie filling or whatever you need them for! The vegetables will need a few minutes of cooking time as you would normally prepare them.
Freezing produce ensures you can eat the freshest foods at any time of year. You aren’t producing unnecessary emissions, and you can still support your local growers!
2. Embrace the foods that are in season.
Surprisingly our growing season isn’t completely over when the snow hits the ground. There are several items grown year-round, and some things are grown in greenhouses. That is not to say that the greenhouse method is totally sustainable (it’s not – more on this in a later post), it is an alternative for you to purchase locally grown foods year-round.
In Ontario, rhubarb and greenhouse strawberries are grown from January to June. Many varieties of onion are grown year round, as are potatoes, carrots, brussel sprouts and rutabaga. Greenhouse tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and lettuce are available; squash is in its prime season in the colder months!
There are many more vegetables available than fruits during this time, and as you can see many of them are root vegetables. These varieties host a many health benefits, and eating them in season provides the greatest nutritional benefit for your body. I couldn’t be happier during the Fall and Winter growing seasons, because I love root vegetables!
3. Don’t forget canned and pickled produce.
Another post will be coming out in the near future on this topic, but freezing is not the only way to eat fresh, sustainable produce that is out of season. In fact, eating pickled or fermented produce can add nutritional benefits, rather than take them away. Plus, you can create a whole new flavour profile for these foods!
Canning, pickling and fermenting foods may seem like a daunting task. I have not tried either yet but I am eager to do so. It’s as easy as getting a few supplies, looking up instructions online, or attending a workshop in your local community (I see these happening all the time).
Alternatively, you could purchase canned, pickled and fermented food in stores, however you don’t know if those items were picked in season, where they are coming from, and there is likely more waste created this way. I like the idea of doing it yourself, not just because it is more sustainable but also because you are working hard to create something delicious! In my opinion, food always tastes better when you’ve worked hard and put some TLC into it.
These methods of food storage can last longer than freezing, often months or even years longer. These methods go back hundreds of years so they are tested and true. The fermenting process adds nutrients and enzymes to support your digestion. Fermented and pickled foods also have a completely different flavour profile than fresh or even canned produce, so they can be used in new ways in dishes. If you’ve ever tried sauerkraut or kimchi, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Right now I have a mason jar full of pickled red sauerkraut made locally at a zero waste bulk store. That stuff is the bomb.
As you can see, you can fuel your body with healthful foods during any season without having to worry about increasing your carbon footprint. If anything, finding ways to eat well in the “off season” is a fun, innovative and insightful time. You might find new favourite foods or preparation methods. I never thought I would like pickles (not much of a fan of cucumbers) but I was surprised to find that I actually enjoy them. I bought a bunch of peaches from St. Jacob’s Farmers Market back in September at the prime of their growing season, and quickly realized I wouldn’t be able to eat them all before they rotted.
The solution? I made a jam, preserving their freshness and delicious taste. Simple actions to reduce food waste, preserve nutrition and lower the impact of my food choices. Simple, yet impactful.
Now you know how to eat sustainably in the winter. I encourage you to try out one, two or all three of these tips. Wanting to eat well isn’t hard to do in the winter if you know the right techniques. Sustainability doesn’t have to be difficult; it’s as easy as you make it to be.
For more tips on eating sustainably, check out these posts I’ve written:
- The truth about farmers markets
- How to eat sustainably in the winter
- 5 easy, healthy and sustainable ways to eat well on a student budget
- What’s the deal with almond milk?
Have you found eating sustainably in the winter challenging? What are you doing to make your eating habits more sustainable? Do you want more tips on how to eat sustainably in the winter or other seasons? Let me know in the comments!
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