Spring-clean your eating habits this September

A simple way to understand sustainable eating is that our food should meet our nutritional needs, while also conserving natural resources. In a nutshell (a peanut shell in this case, being the most sustainable nut out there), sustainable eating means buying what is currently in abundance. Local food has a low environmental impact all throughout the food cycle - from production and packaging to transport and distribution.

Eating sustainably also saves money, energy and lets you enjoy foods at the peak of their flavour.

Here are 10 tips to get you eating more sustainably, plus a reminder of seasonal fruit and vegetables to buy this spring.

1. Buy seafood from non-threatened stocks. You can check the Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative's (SASSI) website for a list of sustainable seafood options.
2. Choose whole, minimally processed foods. Less energy and fewer resources are used compared to making and packaging processed foods. For example, buy spinach in a bunch versus washed, cut and packed items.
3. Prepare and serve appropriate portion sizes to lessen food wastage. Wasting food means wasting the energy and resources that went into producing it. The bacteria that break down wasted food also produce the greenhouse gas methane.
4. Use every part of a plant ('root-to-tip') to cut down on food wastage. Many roots and bulbs can also be regrown in water. You can also buy fresh produce, prepare and use what you need on a particular day and then freeze the rest.
5. Choose whole grains over processed carbohydrates, as these require less energy to process.
6. Producing a bottle of water requires more than double the amount of water the final product contains, so when you can, choose plain tap water.
7. Replace some of your meat intake with protein-rich legumes like lentils, split peas and beans. Producing meat (especially beef) contributes considerably to greenhouse gas emissions, but the nitrogen-fixing properties of legumes contribute to soil richness.
8. Choose organic foods where possible, as organically-managed soil regenerates its richness.
9. Cook more meals at home. Restaurants use substantial amounts of energy for refrigeration, heating, cooling, and lighting. They also use a lot of water, and food wastage is also a concern.
10. Fill up on raw, fresh vegetables and fruit, even as snacks and sides. These need very little energy to prepare.

What's in season this spring?

Here are some fruits and vegetables that are in season in spring (that is September, October and November) in South Africa:

FRUIT: Apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, cherries, coconuts, dates, grapefruit, guavas, lemons, limes, naartjies, nectarines, oranges, pawpaw or papaya, pears, pineapples, plums, strawberries, sweet melon, and watermelon.

VEGETABLES: Artichokes, asparagus, aubergines (eggplant), baby marrows, beans, beetroot, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, corn, courgettes (baby marrow), cucumber, kale spinach, leeks, lettuce, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, red onions, turnips, and watercress.

Try these HealthyFood Studio recipes this Spring

And if you share your creations on social media, remember to tag us @VitalitySA_ on Instagram, @DiscoveryVitality on Facebook, and @Vitality_SA on Twitter, and use the hashtag #VitalityHealthyFoodStudio:

Remember, Vitality's HealthyFood benefit gives members rewards of up to 75% back on fresh, whole food all throughout the year. So, activate your benefit and grab your spring produce from your closest Pick n Pay or Woolworths.

We also teach our members and the general public, how to master their kitchens at our HealthyFood Studio in Sandton, where fresh, seasonal ingredients, real nutrition and sustainable eating all come together with a dash of delicious.

Live life with Vitality

Your Vitality team