Eating for the Seasons

“Live each season as it passes, breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.”

– Henry David Thoreau

In the past people only ate what was grown in their local area.  However in our modern day we can eat foods all year around. But what is the cost?

Not only does eating fruits and vegetables in season play an important role in our efforts to eliminate environmental damage caused by transportation and storage, foods in season are found to have higher phytochemical content and contain more nutrients. Fresh seasonal food is also unbeaten in terms of taste and variety. Most out-of-season food has been grown in artificial conditions, picked prematurely and shipped halfway around the world, giving it ample time to deteriorate and lose nutrients; this food is also limited to those varieties that can survive long-distance travel.

So what foods are in season when? Follow the guide below, however foods may vary depending on climate and location from year to year.

 Spring: Artichoke (globe), asparagus, beans, beetroot, berries, broad beans, broccoli, capsicums, carrot, cauliflower, chillies, cucumbers, grapefruits, leeks, lemons, lettuce, limes, mandarins (imperial), onions, parsley, parsnips, peas, potatoes, rhubarb, silverbeet, snow peas, spinach, spring onion, squash, strawberries, zucchini

Summer: Apricots, basil, beans, beetroot, berries, capsicum, carrots, cherries, chillies, corn, cucumber, eggplant, figs, grapefruit, grapes, leeks, lettuce, melons, onions, oranges (valencia), parsley, peaches, pears, peas, plums, potatoes, rhubarb, silverbeet, spring onion, squash, strawberries, tomatoes, zucchini

 Autumn: Apples, beans, beetroot, brussel sprouts, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chillies, corn, cucumber, eggplant, figs, grapefruit, grapes, leeks, lettuce, mandarins (imperial), melons, onions, oranges (valencia), parsley, parsnips, pears, peas, potatoes, rhubarb, silverbeet, spinach, spring onion, squash, strawberries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini

 Winter: Apples, beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, grapefruit, jerusalem artichokes, kiwi fruit, leeks, lemons, lettuce, limes, mandarins (imperial), onions, oranges (navel), parsley, parsnips, pears, potatoes, rhubarb, silverbeet, snow peas, spinach, spring onion, turnips