KEEPING IT LOCAL

Supporting our local stores is vital, and for some of us it has taken a global pandemic, empty supermarket shelves and a possible recession ahead of us to realise this. In order for us to keep JBC as local as possible, and put money back in to the pockets of incredibly hard-working nearby business owners, we use these businesses for sourcing produce, collaboration, re-using our waste and as stockists.

We recommend these easy swaps for spending locally as opposed to funding large corporations.

1. Utilise outdoor and indoor markets for food shopping, clothing and more. Many small businesses begin their journey at the market, and your money could make a huge difference for them. You can also often find much fresher and organic food produce on the stalls, as it has come straight from the farm as opposed to flown around the world. It’s also more likely to be free of pesticides and other nasties!

2. When you’re flicking through Uber Eats looking for your usual big chain pizza menu, take a moment to check yourself, and order a real authentic one instead. Nothing beats a proper wood-oven fired pizza lovingly made by our friends at Yard Sale in London. And they deliver!

Yard Sale Pizza, London - @yardsalepizza

3. Get creative with your date nights and days out! Instead of taking the kids to a theme park or the cinema, visit your local animal farm or look up your closest independent drive in cinema or theatre. On date night, surprise your other half with one of the amazing supper clubs in your area. Our favourites are the workshops and dinners run by our pals, father-daughter duo Ellora and Maurelio - otherwise known as The Arty Vegan. From tofu-making to sustainability talks - their enthusiasm is infectious, their food is to die for, (and they are absolute family goals!).

Ellora and Maurelio of The Arty Vegan - @theartyvegan

4. Switch to an independent gym. The cool gyms, the ‘it’ boxing classes and the ridiculously overpriced yoga sessions are so out. Spend your money and time at a place where the people feel relatable, the trainers exude good vibes, and you don’t feel intimidated to walk through the door! We love GRL GYM based in Hackney Wick, London, who describe themselves as ‘a fitness community of rebels against toxic health culture’ and welcome ‘all bodies and all levels’. They pride the gym as being a completely safe space for everyone. Sign us up today!

GRL GYM at Hackney Wick, London - @grl.gym

What are your favourite ways to support local businesses? Tell us over on instagram at @jbcjuice

THE IMPORTANCE OF USING WONKY PRODUCE

Here at JBC, we don’t discriminate - and that includes when it comes to our fruit! Our juices are packed full of wonderfully wonky fruit, because reducing food waste is super important and they all taste the same.

It’s crazy that we pride ourselves on being different as humans, we all grow different, look different - and none of us are perfect! So why do we expect our food to be? In an article by the Independent in March last year, it was found that ‘during the UK’s “Dig for Victory” campaign in the Second World War, a large proportion of the population had to grow their own fruit and vegetables. Now the majority of people live in cities and towns – typically detached from primary food production.’ Out of convenience we can choose the pretty looking punnet of strawberries over the ‘wonky ones’ because, how ugly would they look on my home-made cheesecake.

image source unknown

But what is this attitude doing to our economy and the environment? The same article found that ‘ugly’ or ‘wonky’ veg were blamed for up to 40 per cent of wasted fruit and vegetables in 2013, as produce was discarded for failing to meet retailer appearance standards. About 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted worldwide every year and, of this, fruit and vegetables have the highest wastage rates of any food type.

The National Farmers’ Union also reported in 2014 that around 20 per cent of gala apples were being wasted prior to leaving the farm gate as they weren’t at least 50 per cent red in colour. Huh!?

But this waste is also happening in our homes, and is corrected by changing simple habits like portion sizes, correct storage, keeping an eye on use by dates and not always taking ‘best before’ dates as gospel.

image via @_sara_mascara_

image via @evanlykitchen

When climate change hits the UK, some of our biggest issues will be overpopulation and extreme weather. This means we may face food shortages and local crops could be destroyed by something as small as a change in temperature at the wrong time of year. When countries around the world suffer, we may not have access to all of the tropical fruits and delights we usually indulge in.

So remember to embrace the ugly, shop local, and eat as seasonally as possible. No matter what colour, shape or size, we all deserve love!

http://eatseasonably.co.uk/