Eating with the seasons means you’ll always enjoy fresh and delicious produce all year round. It brings great variety to your diet and even helps support our local farmers. Find out how to make the most of this season’s fruit and vegetables.
Winter.
The cold weather calls for hearty stews and flu-fighting soups packed with nutritious veggies. But if you’re in the mood for something new, navel oranges and fennel make for a delicious marinade on your favourite meat or fish. For a scrumptious weekend breakfast, try some ricotta pancakes topped with maple-glazed apples.
Fruits: Apples, avocados, custard apples, grapefruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, navel oranges, pears, persimmons, quinces, rhubarb, tangelos, tangerines.
Vegetables: Artichokes, beetroot, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, choy sum, fennel, garlic, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, okra, olives, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, shallots, silverbeet, spinach, swedes, turnips, witlof, zucchinis.
Spring.
When the sun starts to shine and the flowers are in bloom, it’s time to take advantage of leafy green vegetables and citrus fruits. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a delectable orange and tangelo custard or whip up quick a stir-fry packed with fresh Asian greens. If you’re feeling adventurous, stuff some zucchini flowers with your favourite cheese and fry until golden.
Fruits: Apples, avocados, bananas, blood oranges, grapefruit, lemons, loquats, lychee, mandarins, mangoes, pawpaw, pears, pineapple, rhubarb, strawberries, tangelos, tangerines, tomatoes.
Vegetables: Artichokes, asparagus, beans, beetroot, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, choy sum, cucumber, garlic, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, parsnip, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, silverbeet, snow peas, spinach, spring onions, sweet corn, zucchini flowers.
Summer.
Summer is the perfect time of year for juicy melons, luscious berries and tasty stone fruits. Try grilling your peaches, plums or apricots on the barbeque and topping them with yoghurt. When it comes to veggies, look out for rocket, olives and potatoes – pair with some zesty feta for a light and tasty tart.
Fruits: Avocados, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, grapes, guava, honeydew, kiwifruit, loquats, mangoes, oranges, peaches, plums, raspberries, rhubarb, rockmelon, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon.
Vegetables: Asparagus, beetroot, beans, bok choy, capsicum, choy sum, carrots, chili, corn, cos lettuce, garlic, leeks, olives, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, rocket, silverbeet, spinach, spring onions, zucchinis.
Autumn.
While autumn is synonymous with roasted veggies and fruit-filled crumbles, there’s so much more you can do! Put a healthy twist on a classic lasagna by swapping the pasta for slices of roasted eggplant. If you’re entertaining, a fig, blue cheese and quince paste tart is sure to impress.
Fruits: Apples, blackberries, figs, grapes, honeydew, limes, mandarins, valencia oranges, passionfruit, pears, persimmons, plums, pomegranates, quinces, raspberries, rhubarb, rockmelon, strawberries, watermelon.
Vegetables: Artichokes, beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, capsicums, carrots, celeriac, celery, cauliflower, eggplant, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, shallots, silverbeet, spinach, swedes, sweet corn, sweet potato, turnips, witlof, zucchini.
