Discover the goodness of sustainable cooking with in-season fresh produce

The goodness of eating well always starts with shopping well. Over time, we have been taught the 5:2 rule and the importance of fresh produce in our diets. But what do we know about the importance of shopping fresh produce seasonably? We often have our favourite recipes, but sometimes our favourite ingredients are not in-season, and we are left scratching our heads on what ‘to cook tonight,’ or worse, we end up shopping for ingredients that could end up in the bin. Ultimately, eating well also means shopping well - and seasonably well.

Do you know what’s in season and when?

Each season brings a different array of fresh fruit and vegetables; we are lucky to have a wide variety year-round in Australia. Some fruit and vegetables are in supply all year, like berries, Broccolini™, tomatoes and Qukes® baby cucumbers.  You’ll never miss out on the goodness of fresh produce, you just need to know what to buy and when. Planning for summer means you’ll enjoy, an abundance of mangoes, grapes, Broccolini™, cucumbers and tomatoes. Oranges, melons, stone fruits, leafy greens, spinach, leek, and zucchini are also part of any summer recipe.

In winter, delicious strawberries and raspberries from South East Queensland, Bambino® Wombok Heart, Brussel Sprouts and Cauli-Blossom® make for healthy ingredients that are readily available to add to your shopping trolley. Add sprouts, carrots, cauliflower and cabbage and your meals are hearty and perfect for a cold winter evening. 

Better taste and better value and less waste.

When you buy in season, you are buying produce that is ready to eat right now, which aids in less waste on farms and better value for the consumer. Making the most of our recipes that use seasonal fresh produce will always mean that you’ll always have options on ‘what to cook’ tonight. And because seasonal fresh produce is grown in Australia, you can be assured that there is minimal time between when it was picked, to when you get it home on your plate. Also, you’ll contribute to the seasonal growth cycle because not all growers grow absolutely everything. The more that growers can supply their fresh produce, the less they need to throw out or discard on the farm.  For a general seasonal food guide to buying in-season fresh fruit and vegetables click here.

What can I cook right now?

Thanks to our seasonal approach to producing fresh produce, you can enjoy many in-season recipes that taste great and are great for your budget with the assurance that the ingredients are available right now: Broccolini, Cauli Blossom®, raspberries, Purple Broccolini, Bambino Brussels, Little Gem® Bananas, and strawberries. Here we’ve collated seven delicious in-season (right now) recipes to help you with your seasonal shopping and meal ideas – more taste and less waste!

One-pan chicken and Broccolini noodle stir fry

Pan fried fish with steamed Broccolini

Cauli-Blossom Lentil and brown rice salad with barbecue Lamb.

Bambino Baby Brussels Sprouts Pancetta and Haloumi Fritters

Banana Date Walnut spelt bread

Chocolate Strawberry self-saucing pudding

Quick and easy raspberry turnovers

The practicality of preparing and planning using in-season fresh produce.

Another factor to remember when you are cooking with in-season fresh produce is pre-planning and preparation. Now that you have the in-season meal ideas on your shopping list, understanding how to utilise fresh produce best so it doesn’t sit in the back of the fridge or be forgotten in produce bins is vital knowledge. It’s not sustainable to your budget, nor to the environment if produce becomes ‘uneatable’ due to poor planning and preparation. It’s vital that you plan your meals and store food properly, and it's sustainable for less waste. We have a great weekly planner to download as well as helpful videos to store our fresh produce such as how to store Broccolini

What you can do right now.

If you enjoy the goodness of seasonable cooking with quality fresh produce that’s good for you, the environment, and our Australian growers, then follow these practical tips.

1. Buy what’s in season right now.
2. Search for recipes that use in-season fresh produce.
3. Plan your weekly meal ideas ahead.
4. Plan to prepare your fresh produce for longer shelf life once you get it home.
5. Be mindful of using it all, cook only what you will consume, or plan for leftovers that include proper storage in air-tight containers, labelling or position in the fridge, so it’s not forgotten.
6. Consider home composting, if you can’t avoid food scraps. A small indoor compost bin is perfect for creating organic fertilizer for lawns and soil. If you live in an apartment, for example, home composting is great to use in potted plants, succulents, and herbs.

Discover our fresh produce page and each seasonality chart to help you plan your sustainable cooking with in-season fresh produce meals and for more information about what's fresh and in season.

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