UK seasonal vegetables in July

Interested in eating seasonally? Read on for the four main benefits and a list of UK seasonal vegetables in July.

Whether you’re harvesting from your garden or buying from the shops, July is a great month for British seasonal vegetables. With verdant greens, juicy tomatoes and tasty radishes, you really can ‘eat the rainbow’!

Why it’s beneficial to eat seasonally

The concept of eating seasonally simply means to consume produce that is grown now and, importantly, grown locally.

1. It’s healthier

As a rule of thumb; the fresher the better so what could be better than eating home grown seasonal vegetables?! When foods are grown out of season they are often subjected to chemicals, gases and heating processes to artificially ripen them. They are then transported thousands of miles, often losing their nutritional content along the way. Eating seasonal vegetables ensures they are nutritionally dense and generally better for you.

2. It’s cheaper

Growing vegetables in managed conditions and then transporting them across the world is obviously going to come at an extra cost to the consumer. When you eat vegetables grown locally, they don’t come with these extra costs. They are also grown in abundance, making the supply high and driving down the price.

3. It tastes better

Following on from seasonal vegetables being healthier, they also taste better too! The aim with mass produced vegetables is to grow volume to meet demand, quantity overrides taste leading to a lack of flavour. Vegetables out of season are often picked before they’re ready and can spoil on the journey to our supermarkets, whereas seasonal produce is harvested at the right time and only travels a short distance, maximising taste and nutrients.

4. It’s better for the environment

When food has to travel a long way to get to you, whether by plane or boat, it comes with a large carbon footprint. It’s much kinder to the environment to buy vegetables that have only traveled a few miles down the road and haven’t been pumped full of toxic chemicals. An added bonus is you’ll be supporting your local community too!

List of UK seasonal vegetables in July 2020

Keep in mind that where you live makes a difference to what’s available during each season. Check out Eat Seasonably for a more detailed guide.