The nutritional quality of many fruit and vegetables degrades over time, so produce that has travelled a long distance will be lower in nutrients than something that was picked and sold locally and in season. This is particularly important with certain items, e.g. broccoli, asparagus: their huge health benefits can completely disappear over time.

'Modified atmosphere' packaging, used to help fresh veg travel further, has been shown to degrade the nutrients in salads.

Seasonal creatures such as lamb, wild game or some wild fish will have eaten a natural diet and thus be more wholesome.

Seasonal food is better for the environment

'Food miles', such as those used in air-freighting out-of-season produce, are a major contributor to carbon dioxide emissions.

Glasshouses and polytunnels heated to provide out-of-season produce also add to global warming.

Those same glasshouses and polytunnels blight the environment.

Lambs that are bred and raised in their natural season do not need the same amount of specialised feed and housing as those bred early for Easter eating.

Salmon aquaculture has contributed to a devastation of the wild, seasonal stocks of salmon and sea trout.

Seasonal food is gastronomically superior

Produce that is designed to have a long season and withstand packaging and transporting is always inferior, e.g. strawberries and tomatoes.

Most fruit and veg picked and eaten close to the source will taste better: the shorter the season (asparagus, plums, strawberries) the more important this is.

Seasonal creatures such as lamb, wild game or some wild fish will have eaten a natural diet and thus be more tasty.

and finally… eating seasonal food means maintaining a sustainable food chain

The supermarket-driven insistence on predictability of supply and 'permanent global summertime' has made Britain's food chain very oil-dependent and has radically reduced our self-sufficiency. Producing and eating seasonally insulates the food chain against fuel shocks and works towards guaranteeing a sustainable food supply.

Producing food seasonally reduces the need for artificial, resource-intensive inputs such as shelter, heating and special feed.