Should you eat veg all year round?

By Catherine Burns
Newsbeat health reporter, in Newark

Remember the days when chefs just stayed in the kitchen and cooked? But now it seems they've got to be campaigning about something or other. First came Jamie Oliver, banging on about healthy school dinners. Now it's Gordon Ramsay. He wants a new law to stop restaurants selling fruit and veg that’s not in season.

Pomegranates from India. Satsumas from South Africa. Kiwis from Italy.

The fruit stalls on the market here in Newark are colourful, and they've definitely got an international flavour. But Gordon Ramsay probably wouldn't be all that impressed.

"I don't want to see asparagus in the middle of December," he says. "I don't want to see strawberries from Kenya in the middle of March."

More creative

He thinks if something's not in season, it shouldn't be on the menu.

Instead, restaurants should stock up on local produce. He says it would be better for the environment, and would force chefs to be more creative.

Jo Street's got a stall here, and she's not impressed with Gordon's ideas. At the minute, almost all her fruit is from abroad.

I don't want to see strawberries from Kenya in the middle of March Gordon Ramsay

She tries to support local farmers - and stocks as much veg from them as possible. But it's not easy.

"If we were just stocking UK grown produce, we wouldn’t be working for a lot of the year. Because there wouldn’t be enough to sell," she says.

Exotic fruits

She believes you've got to give the customers what they want. And for many people, that's exotic fruits. She says they try new foods when they're on holiday, and want them back at home too.

But across the market, it's a different story on Liz Hoggard's stall.

She only sells things grown at her family's farm. So, there's not much fruit, but a whole lot of greens. She's got piles of cauliflowers, cabbage and broccoli.

She's all for Gordon Ramsay's new idea.

Liz Hoggard (middle) is all for Gordon Ramsay's new idea

"I think people enjoy veg if it's not been flown halfway round the world. People need to know what the seasons are, and eat accordingly," she says.

In the summer, that's things like asparagus, lettuce, pears, and berries galore. By winter, you'd better like brussel sprouts and rhubarb.

And let's face it, there aren't many bananas or mangoes on the trees in Nottinghamshire.