Part-time Self Sufficiency

I love masterchef.... but was really annoyed recently when a young Polish woman said that she loved London as she could get what she wanted all year round as in Poland you could only buy what was in season.
We should be more like Poland!
I haven't eaten a fresh tomato for some time.... can't wait to pick the first one.

I am SS in tomatoes. When fresh isn't available I will only eat the frozen ones. The same for beans - dried if fresh isn't available.
Garlic - I use elephant garlic mostly as that is what I can grow.
I will only eat the herbs that I can grow - rosemary in the winter, chives and onions in pots. Mints now.
I won't buy kale or chard. Same as PP really. I will go without and eat something I do have.... or pick elsewhere. Had some lovely wild garlic this month.
Blackcurrants - spares are made into jam or frozen. I wouldn't buy them.
I can never grow enough lettuce - I need some tips from Bren.
I would love to be able to grow enough beetroot for the whole year but hardly managed to get any due to rodent issue.

Glad you mentioned Elephant garlic Scarlet. I have been building up stock from the original, incredibaly expensive three cloves I bought about three years ago. By keeping half for eating and half for planting each year, I now have enough growing that should make me self sufficient once its harvested. I love it's mild flavour and actually prefer it to traditional garlic, of which I have loads.

I prefer it to to the traditional stuff too.