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Why eat (and drink) seasonally

Posted by nexbaau on 6th Apr 2020

We often hear that it’s important to eat foods that are in season. There are a number of reasons why, including enhanced availability of nutrients, freshness of produce, flavour and supporting our local farmers. However due to modern agriculture and advanced farming practices, it can be tricky to tell when foods are actually in season given their year long availability.

Why eat seasonally?

1. It’s better for you

There are a number of reasons why eating seasonally is better for your health. First of all, the produce is fresh. That means it hasn’t spent days (or sometimes even weeks) being transported to you from the other side of the world. Nutrients deplete quickly in fresh produce so it is best to consume fruit & veg within a few days of harvest.

As well, to ensure that the food being imported still looks acceptable, the fruits and vegetables are often laden with pesticides, waxes and preservative. This can be deceiving as sometimes the produce that appears the freshest in your local supermarket is actually quite the opposite.

2. Fresh produce tastes better

Freshness of produce not only boosts nutritional value of fruits and vegetables but it also enhances the flavour. Think about taking a bite into an apple… Sometimes they are sweet and crisp and other times they are a soft with a more floury texture. Chances are when you’ve taken a bite into that particularly delicious apple, you were eating one that was recently harvested.

3. Shopping seasonally supports local farmers

Buying seasonal produce supports local farmers who choose ethical farming methods. This also helps the environment by reducing the amount of international transportation required, reducing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into our planet.

4. It’s cheaper

Because local produce doesn’t have to travel great lengths to reach us, this is generally reflected in the cost. The price can be used as an indicator of what produce is actually in season. That is, if a punnet of berries comes with a crazy price tag, you can almost guarantee it has traveled from afar.

5. It’s a fun way to shop

The ritual of shopping at local farmers markets on the weekend is a fun and exciting way to shop. It is fascinating speaking to the local farmers who are so passionate about what they do and the produce they sell. It is also fun to let the produce inspire the recipes you try for the season ahead. Shopping at farmers markets is also much easier on your wallet.

Want to know what’s in season? Check out our Aussie seasonal produce list:

Summer

  • apples
  • apricot
  • banana
  • berries like blackberries, blueberries, raspberries & strawberries
  • melons like watermelon, rockmelon & honeydew
  • cherries
  • fig
  • grapefruit
  • grapes
  • circus fruits like lemons, limes and oranges
  • lychee
  • mango
  • stone fruits like nectarines, plums and peaches
  • passionfruit
  • pineapple
  • asparagus
  • avocado
  • capsicum
  • cucumber
  • lettuce
  • tomato
  • zucchini
Winter
  • apples
  • avocados
  • feijoa
  • kiwi fruit
  • mandarins
  • oranges
  • pear
  • rhubarb
  • broccoli
  • brussels sprouts
  • cabbage
  • carrot
  • cauliflower
  • celery
  • eggplants
  • fennel
  • kale
  • leek
  • mushrooms
  • pumpkin
  • sweet potato
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