EATING THE SEASONS (organix no junk journey)

• featured post •

Embarking on my Organix No Junk Journey has made me ponder the irony how some things come full circle.

During World War II Britons were forced to live off strict rations, which meant they had to be incredibly inventive with the tiny amounts of food they had. Fruit and vegetables weren’t restricted, but stocks of both were low, so people were encouraged to grow their own. Gardens and allotments were filled and public spaces converted into veggie beds. Meals might have been sparse, but they were natural and high in fibre.

When rationing ended in 1954 the UK entered a gold era of eating; as people relished their food freedom, meals became increasingly lavish. It was this same year that the first burger restaurant – Wimpy’s – opened in London, and the gradual slide began away move away from organic, home-grown meat and produce, and towards mass-produced fast food.

KFC opened for business in 1965, followed by Pizza Hut in 1973, then McDonald’s hit our shores in 1974. And it was no looking back for our junk-food obsessed world.

I remember ordering my school lunch in New Zealand in the 1970’s, and it was a bag of crisps, a chocolate bar, a mince pie and a Twinkie (a delightful American treat consisting of a tube of sponge filled with sickly sweet mock cream). That was fairly standard fare back then but I wouldn’t dream of feeding that to my girls today.

After decades of greasy, calorie-laden eating and the increasing obesity levels, the pendulum is finally swinging back towards simple, natural organic food. In a way my girls are luckier than me, as they’re growing up in a world that has a much better understanding of nutrition and healthy eating.

Of course they’d eat Hula Hoops and chocolate all day if I let them – they’re kids – but I’ve explained to them why I don’t let them do that, and they both understand and agree with me. I’ve been careful to introduce them to a wide variety of fruit and vegetables since they started eating solids.

Dinner always includes a side of veggies, or some salad leaves and tomatoes, and I’m proud of the fact Big Sis loves broccoli and brussel sprouts (yes, really!) and that Lil Sis gets just as excited about a punnet of blueberries as she does a packet of sweets.

Today, a typical lunchbox for them includes a sandwich on multigrain bread, a packet of Organix crisps, fresh fruit and some Organix rice crackers or mini gingerbread men. Nutritional night and day from what I used to eat!

I used to think the label ‘organic’ was simply an excuse to charge more money for the same product. Now I understand that the quality and taste is better and the nutritional content much higher. Although our pockets are a bit lighter after each weekly shop I have no doubt that the produce we’re buying now is much better for us. Also, we’re instilling better habits and food knowledge in our girls, and giving them the tools they need to live healthier lies.

Similarly, I never used to understand the importance of eating seasonal food. Now I know that it’s a better choice for several reasons; firstly – and perhaps most importantly – the food is at its pinnacle of freshness and taste. You’re not paying a premium to have it transported from the other side of the world or grown in an unnatural manner, and you’re also supporting local suppliers. Which all sound like great reasons to me.

In case you’re wondering, spring greens are perfect right now, and cauliflower is just coming into season, with rhubarb, asparagus and spinach behind that.

• I’m an Organix No Junk Mum, follow our #NoJunkJourney 

• photo ‘selection of purple-toned vegetables and fruits‘ courtesy of Shutterstock