Five Reasons To Grow Your Own Fruit and Veg

With the cost of food continually increasing and the threat of shortages in fruit and vegetables, some people are turning to their own gardens to grow their own fruit and veg. While growing food at home can ensure a continual supply of quality fresh produce, growing your own food can also have some incredible benefits that are not often taken into consideration.

Mental Health and Wellness

Growing your own fruit and vegetables can have a strong impact on your mental health and wellbeing. Working in the garden, especially during sunny days, increases the amount of Vitamin D you’re exposed to which can help improve your mood. Planting and weeding your garden can form part of your regular exercise programme that can easily be incorporated into your everyday life. As you watch your produce grow, you’ll gain a new appreciation for nature which can be reflected in your eating habits as you enjoy the fresh food you have grown. The website www.onestopgardenshop.net have some amazing ideas on how to grow your own fruit and veg.

Helping The Environment

Growing your own food reduces the number of pesticides that are used in commercial farming. These chemicals are used to prevent insects and other pests from destroying crops, but can also affect the air, land and water supplies as well as have a detrimental effect on local wildlife. Other benefits to the environment include not having to transport food from different countries, which in turn reduces the carbon footprint, decreases food waste as you’re more likely to eat the food you produce, and eliminates the need for plastic packaging.

Saving You Money

Successfully growing your own fruit and veg can lead to lower expenses at the shops and this can lessen further with the more you produce. Once you have mastered growing your own vegetables, you can move on to fruit and even herbs that will reduce the need for supermarket produce.

Strengthen Family Relationships

Getting the whole family involved in growing your own fruit and veg is a great way to strengthen the bonds you have. Each family member can have an opportunity to grow their own variety of food and play an active role in the planning and developing of their garden. Kids will enjoy getting their hands dirty and also seeing their own produce grow, which also instils knowledge, experience and confidence. It gets everyone outside into the fresh air and encourages communication and interaction as a family.

Leisure Time

Not only is growing your own fruit and veg good for your health and wellbeing, but is also a great way to spend your leisure time. Many people spend their time indoors, glued to a computer screen, games console or television, but getting outside is a great leisure activity that helps to connect with nature. Watching your fruit and veg grow or completing a DIY project such as building a garden bar can give you a sense of pride and accomplishment and can be viewed as an excellent way to enjoy your leisure time. 

Even if you aren’t the most active person out there, you can still enjoy being outdoors if you have some quality outdoor furniture. It’s even possible to restore existing garden furniture (see more on furnitureliscious.com), allowing you to feel comfortable without breaking the bank.

Increase Your Fruit and Veg Consumption

Many of us say we’d like to increase our intake of fruit and veg but, while the intention is there, often the willpower is missing. People who grow their own food are likely to consume more fruit and veg than those that don’t. in addition, they are 3.5 times more likely to meet the recommended number of five portions of fruit and veg per day.