Food Miles: Do I Really Need Avocados in January?

 


Food Miles: Do I Really Need Avocados in January?

(Or: How My Salad Flew Further Than I Did This Year)

Once upon a time, “seasonal eating” meant carrots in winter, strawberries in summer, and cabbages always. Now? It’s January, and your basket contains:

🥑 Avocados from Mexico
🍓 Strawberries from Spain
🍇 Grapes from Chile
🍅 Tomatoes from Morocco

Your salad’s air miles would make a travel influencer blush.

So… does it matter? Should we care where our food comes from?
And more importantly: do I really need that avocado on toast right now?

✈️ What Are Food Miles, Anyway?

“Food miles” refer to the distance food travels from where it’s grown to your plate. The more miles, the higher the:

It’s not just about the distance — it’s about the fuel, infrastructure, and energy intensity of getting your blueberries to Berkshire in midwinter.

🧮 The Numbers (aka The Guilt Trip)

Let’s break it down:

  • Avocado (Mexico to UK): ~8,900 km

  • Grapes (Chile): ~11,600 km

  • Asparagus (Peru): ~10,300 km

  • Apples (New Zealand): ~18,000 km

  • Local leeks from the farm down the road? 6 km and a nod from Dave

And if flown in? Air freight is by far the most carbon-intensive mode of transport — about 50x worse than shipping.

🥑 But It’s Not Just About Distance

Sometimes local isn’t always better:

  • Heated greenhouses in the UK (for winter tomatoes) may use more energy than imported tomatoes from Spain grown in the sun

  • Fairtrade bananas might support entire communities — even with the boat journey

  • Seasonality plays a big role — eating out-of-season often means flying food in, or forcing it to grow under unnatural, energy-hungry conditions

🥕 So, What Can I Actually Do?

Let’s keep it realistic — not preachy. You don’t need to become a sackcloth-wearing, cabbage-only eater. But a few small shifts go a long way.

✅ Eat Seasonally (mostly)

Buy what's naturally growing now in your region. You'll get better flavour, lower cost, and lower emissions.

✅ Buy Local Where You Can

Support local growers, farm shops, and veg box schemes. Fewer miles, more smiles.

✅ Treat High-Mile Foods as Treats

Love avocados? Fine. But maybe not every day. Make them a brunch treat, not a lifestyle.

✅ Read Labels

Check origin countries. A quick scan might save thousands of food miles.

✅ Reduce Waste

If you’ve flown in that mango, don’t let it rot at the back of the fridge. That’s the real crime.

🍽️ What We Do at Home

We try to:

  • Grow our own herbs and some veg (badly, but enthusiastically)

  • Use a local farm shop for seasonal produce

  • Check country of origin — if it’s travelled more than we have this year, it stays on the shelf

  • Keep avocados as a monthly treat, not a daily ritual

🌍 Final Thought: Eat Like Your Grandparents (But With Better Coffee)

You don’t have to go full homesteader. Just pause before picking up strawberries in January. Could you swap them for stewed apples? Rhubarb? Something vaguely British?

Because while one avocado won't kill the planet, 10 million people eating them every day out of season… might make a dent.

So eat thoughtfully. Seasonally. Occasionally.
And maybe write your salad a thank-you note for the air miles.

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