So, you’re craving for watermelon…in winter! Will you buy expensive watermelons to satisfy your craving? Or just look for cheaper fruits and vegetables in season?
Seasons change and so does the fresh produce that comes with it.
Now, that winter has arrived, a huge variety of fruit and vegetables only seen this season will be yours for the taking.
So, just for this season, we can forget for a while some of our favourite summer fruits and vegetables, and focus our strengths on how we could maximise on this season’s harvest.
Although fruits and vegetables grown during summer may still be available in the market, buying food in season makes sense for a few reasons. Here’s why.
1. Fresher And Tastier
Foods in season are fresher and tastier than out-of-season food that has been grown forcefully to meet the market.
2. More Nutritious
Some fruits and vegetables grow better in colder weather, which means, they are more nutritious because they are in an environment suited for optimal growth.
via jimdavenport.me3. It’s Cheaper
Buying food that is out of season also means it travels a long way to get to you and most likely wasn’t grown locally, which increases its cost. It is also likely to not be available in abundance translating to grocers charging as they please for it rather than competitively pricing for a flooded market.
4. More Environment-Friendly
Eating seasonal fruits and vegetables reduces the demand for out-of-season produce which helps local farming in your area, which means less transportation, less refrigeration, less hot houses, and less irradiation of produce.
5. Challenges Your Creativity In Cooking
Having only particular choices of food for this specific season challenges your creativity to come up with new, fun and delicious dishes based on what you find.
Examples of Winter Fruits
- Grapefruit
- Kiwi Fruit
- Lemons
- Mandarins
- Naval Oranges
- Apples
- Avocados
- Limes
- Nashi Pears
- Passionfruit
- Pears
- Quince
- Tangelo
- Strawberries (in August).
Examples of Winter Vegetables
- Beetroot
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celeriac
- Celery
- Fennel
- Leeks
- Onions
- Parsnips
- Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Silverbeet
- Spinach
- Sweet Potato
- Turnips
