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Save money with seasonal produce? Tell me more.
Looking for a way to cut costs on those expenny groceries? Shopping seasonal produce might just do the trick!
Seasonal eating refers to eating fruits and vegetables that are “in season” or at the peak of their freshness and flavour during a specific time of year.
There are a loads of benefits to shopping seasonal produce. With “cossie livs” at an all time high, shopping fruits and veg at their prime time can help you save your hard-earned pennies each week for other things! (#girlmath)
Kic’s resident dietician, Liv Morrison also agrees that seasonal fruit and veggies are the way to go. Why? “They’re generally a lot cheaper, stay fresh for longer helping reduce food waste and have a higher nutrient content compared to out-of-season produce.” (win!)
Another tip from Liv is to steer clear of the ‘food trends’. “Often these foods go up in price due to demand and there’s a perfectly healthy and cheaper alternative. Potatoes and rice are perfect examples of this… swap sweet potato to regular potato. White potato is just as healthy, is always cheaper and its plain flavour can be incorporated with so many more cuisines! ‘Trendier’ grains and rice like quinoa, brown and black rice are so much more expensive, but don’t provide any significant health benefits compared to cheaper alternatives like barley, basmati or white rice.”
So, what’s actually in season throughout the year? And when’s the best time to buy not just fruit and veg but herbs and spices?
Don’t stress, Kic has got you covered. Here’s a run-down of Australian fruits and veggies which are in season throughout the year according to Sustainable Table.
Winter: June - August
Fruit: Apple, Avocado, kiwi fruit, lemon, lime, pineapples
Vegetables: Asian greens, broccoli, broccolini, broad beans, brussel sprouts, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, cucumbers, eggplants, fennel, horseradish, kale, leek, mushrooms, onion, parsnip, potato, pumpkin, radish, shallot, silverbeet, spinach, spring onion, swede, sweet potato, turnip
Herbs & Spices: Ginger, coriander, dill, ginger, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary
Got some extra eggplants? Try our stuffed eggplant recipe.
Spring: September - November
Fruit: Apple, asparagus, avocado, banana, blueberries (start of Nov.), cantaloupe, cherry, cumquat, grapefruit, honeydew, lemon, lime, loquat, lychee, mandarin*, mango, mulberries, orange*, papaya, pepino, pineapple, rhubarb, strawberries, starfruit, tangelo, watermelon
Vegetables: Artichoke, asian greens, avocado, beans, beetroot, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, corn, daikon, eggplant, fennel, leek, lettuce, mushrooms, peas, potato, pumpkin, radish, shallot, silverbeet, spinach, spring onion, squash, swede, sweet potato, tomato, turnip, watercress, zucchini
Herbs & Spices: Basil, chervil, chilli, chives, coriander, dill, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage
With your abundance of bananas, try our choc chip banana bread!
Summer: December - February
Fruit: Apple, apricot, banana, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cantaloupe, cherries, currants, fig, grapefruit, grapes, honeydew, lemon, loganberries, lychee, mango, mulberries, nectarine, orange, passionfruit, peach, pear, plum, pineapple, rambutan, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, watermelon
Vegetables: Asparagus, avocado, beans, beetroot, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, celery, corn, cucumber, daikon, eggplant, leek, lettuce, onion, peas, potato, radish, shallot, silverbeet, snow peas, spring onion, squash, sugar snaps, tomato, watercress, zucchini, zucchini flower
Herbs & Spices: Apple mint, basil, chervil, chilli, chives, coriander, dill, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, makrut lime (leaves), mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, Thai basil, thyme, Vietnamese mint
With tomatoes and watermelons, you can try our watermelon, tomato and cashew feta salad.
Autumn: March - May
Fruit: Avocado, apple, blackberries, banana, cumquat, custard apple, feijoa, fig, grapefruit, grapes, guava, kiwi fruit, lemon, lime, mandarin, mango, mangosteen, nashi, orange, papaya, passionfruit, peach, pear, persimmon, plum, pomegranate, prickly pear, quince, rambutan, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tamarillo
Vegetables: Artichokes, Asian greens, avocado, beans, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumber, daikon, eggplant, fennel, leek, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onion, parsnip, potato, pumpkin, shallot, silverbeet, spinach, spring onion, squash, swede, sweet, potato, tomato, turnip, watercress, witlof, zucchini
Herbs & Spices: Basil, chervil, chilli, chives, coriander, dill, garlic, ginger, lime, lemongrass, makrut lime (leaves), mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme
Pumpkins and zucchini’s in season are a great reason to try our roasted pumpkin and zucchini tart!
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