October already? Say what?!
Well, I’m a bit late to the table, but we are well into spring. Spring! A glorious and abundant time of year! (can you tell I just came back from my honeymoon?..) This abundance is particularly relevant for people like me who love to eat with the season – because this time of year provides plenty of choice!
What’s the big deal with eating seasonally anyway? Well, for one thing it supports sustainability and for another it forces you to have variety in your diet.
Where do you think out-of-season fruit and vegetables come from? They’re usually flown over from the other side of the world (where they are in season) and/or picked early and stored in cool rooms until it’s time to put on our supermarket shelves. Over time this produce is depleted of important nutrients and flavour … not to mention racking up serious food kilometres to get to you!
Interesting fact: Did you know that fruits and vegetables tend to appear in the seasons to which they’re best suited nutritionally? For example: think of those heavy winter staples (e.g. root vegetables) that are ideal for warming soups and stews; or of the leafy greens and juicy fruits that go perfectly in light summer salads.
So … what’s in season now?
FRUIT
Spring fruit salad
Apples
Cumquats
Lemons
Grapefruit
Mandarins
Oranges
Pineapples
Pawpaw
Strawberries
Blueberries (just about!)
Raspberries (just about!)
Soon it will be time for all those lovely summery stone fruits and even more berries to start filling up the market stalls – I can’t wait!
VEGETABLES
Yum.. don’t you just want to EAT it!?
Asparagus
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Asian greens e.g. Bok choy
Rocket
Lettuce
Spinach
Green beans
Avocado
Sweet corn
Artichokes
Carrots
Beetroot
Spring onions
Broccoli
Mushrooms
Zucchini