Growing your own produce is the best way to ensure you're eating sustainably and locally grown food that is the freshest and at its peak.

The most simple way to get started is by planting a few herbs. They are easy to grow, aren't very picky about the soil and do well in most climates, many of them even surviving winter. Herbs don't need much space and hence can also be grown in pots on a balcony or even kitchen window.

When getting started it's a good idea to try to find the best seeds (or seedlings, if you don't like waiting) available. If possible, get organic seeds to avoid synthetic chemicals that can come with the conventional variety. Pick a few of your favorite herbs and just follow the instructions on the packages. As herbs like to spread out, it can be a good idea to dedicate a pot to each kind. To make sure the bigger pots aren't too heavy, fill the bottom half with packing flakes and add the potting soil on top. That also helps with drainage.

Herbs are versatile and can spice up any home-cooked or store-bought meal without adding sodium or calories - just add fresh basil to your pizza or chives to a potato salad. It doesn't just taste good, it is also good for you, e.g. peppermint helps with digestion, basil can help regulate blood pressure, rosemary increases circulation in the brain. They are also very nutritious, offering calcium, iron, vitamins A, K, C (and that is only what's available in parsley).

Growing your own herbs is quite cost-effective, for the price of one bunch of herbs you can usually get a packet of seeds that easily can put you through the season. You will also make sure you always have herbs in hand and you can use as much or little as you like at a time without worrying about throwing away the rest like sometimes happens with packaged herbs bought from a supermarket.

Don't let your herbs bloom, always snip off the tops to ensure the tastiest leaves. When the season is about to end, gather what you have left and dry it for use in winter.