How to grow your own healthy seasonal fruit and vegetables
Author and food editor, Rachel de Thample, explains the importance of eating seasonal produce and shares her seasonal superfoods and their health benefits
Why is it important to buy fresh and local produce?
''When food is local and seasonal you’re getting it at its nutritional and flavourful best,'' explains author and food editor Rachel de Thample. "The food hasn’t travelled for days or months in the back of lorries or sat in dusty warehouses so it’s fresh, perky and full of goodness.
"Imported food tends to be picked before it's properly ripe, so not only do you miss out on that gorgeous, sun-ripened flavour, but you also miss out on the fruit and veg being able to develop to its optimal nutritional standard as well.''
Whether you grow your own or want to make the most of delicious, seasonal produce in your local farm shop or supermarket, read Rachel's monthly picks and the health benefits they deliver.
Discover our full range of health benefits guides, including strawberries, mushrooms, beetroot and figs. Plus, have a look at top 12 ways to get your 5-a-day and 20 foods to make you feel fantastic.
Healthy seasonal calendar
January
Pea shoots
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"I always sow a window box of peas in the autumn and when I return from my Christmas holidays, I have a lush mound of green to feast on. Pea shoots are wonderful as a fresh garnish to a hearty winter soup. Or you can swirl them into a warm risotto-like porridge of quinoa with lots of wintry lemon and little crumbs of feta scattered on top. Rich in vitamins and minerals including vitamins C, A and K these little shoots will add a nutritional boost at a time of the year when you most need it!" Read more about the health benefits of peas.
Put them to use in our pea & broad bean shakshuka.
Check out what else is in season in January.
February
Kale
"This is deep winter's hero veg, and there are so many ways to cook it. Finely chop, massage with oil and a hint of sweetness, pan fry then roast, and it's like seaweed. I love it like this tossed with vermicelli rice noodles, soy sauce and chilli flakes. You can also make an incredible slaw. Kale contains many of the minerals our modern diets lack. It’s a good source of plant-based calcium, needed for strong bones and teeth, and has low levels of a natural compound called oxalate, which makes the calcium more available for absorption." Read more about the health benefits of kale.
Try our favourite kale recipes.
Check out what else is in season in February.
March
Nettles
"For me, it’s not just about the crops I grow, I also love foraging and nettles are top of the list in early spring. They are full of iron and are so versatile. The simplest way to enjoy the leaves is to steep them in boiling water and sip as a tea, but they’re also gorgeous with pasta or used as a substitute for spinach in just about any dish."
Give them a go in warming nettle soup or nettle spanakopita.
Check out what else is in season in March.
April
Wild garlic and three-cornered leeks
"There may be a distinct lack of fresh produce on your allotment, but these punchy ingredients are plentiful right now. They’re members of the garlic family, which means they’re great natural antibiotics. Any time I feel a little sniffly, I dose up on foods from this family and it works every time." Read more about the health benefits of garlic.
Enjoy wild garlic pesto and baked new potatoes with wilted wild garlic.
Check out what else is in season in April.
May
Radishes
"I grow radishes in my window boxes. They’re such a satisfying thing to grow as you can get from seed to radish in just a few weeks. Even better, you can use radish leaves in salads or to make pesto, or wilt them down like spinach, so they’re pretty much a two-for-one veg. Radishes are heart-friendly thanks to being a source of a compound called sulforaphane as well as other plant compounds, including anthocyanins." Read more about the health benefits of radishes.
Try roasted radishes and butternut, chickpea, feta & pickled radish salad.
Check out what else is in season in May.
June
Baby beetroot and rhubarb
"These two ruby wonders are surprisingly delicious together, especially with a bit of ginger thrown into the mix. Beetroot is known for lowering blood pressure and is thought to be good for cleansing your digestive system. I like to grow baby beetroot as they’re great for pickling or roasting whole. While you can’t grow rhubarb in a window box, it’s an easy thing to grow outdoors or get right through the summer. Rhubarb is also good for digestion." Read more about the health benefits of beetroot.
Brighten your day with our favourite rhubarb and beetroot recipes.
Check out what else is in season in June.
July
Caraway
"Spices are one of the best ways to jazz up veg, and caraway is such a brilliant partner for so many things, like broccoli (gorgeous in soup), squash (toss with roasted wedges), spinach (sprinkle over wilted spinach), tomatoes (in a simple salad), and so much more.
"While you can find it in the shops, caraway is one of the easiest things to grow. Often you get two harvests of seeds a year. I love it and it's another one that’s really good for digestion – in some cultures, they even eat a handful of caraway seeds after a meal to promote a healthy gut. Add caraway to everything from salads to cakes."
Check out what else is in season in July.
August
Tomatoes
"Nothing compares to sun-ripened, home-grown tomatoes. At this time of year they’re almost like sweets, and it’s pretty much criminal in my book to do too much to them. In the summer, you’ll find me walking down the street snacking on punnets of them. Health-wise, they’re full of protective plant compounds including lycopene and vitamin C." Read more about the health benefits of tomatoes.
Make the most of seasonal tomatoes with our creamy tomato risotto and tomato bruschetta.
Check out what else is in season in August.
September
Fennel
"This is one of my absolute favourite vegetables. I love the seeds, the bulb, the frilly, dill-like fronds. Fennel can cross the sweet and savoury border, too. The bulb is stunning shaved into little wisps for salads, especially when paired with pineapple, avocado, coriander leaves and toasted cashews. As many of my favourite vegetables are, it’s really soothing and great for the tummy." Read more about the health benefits of fennel.
Add fresh, aniseed flavour to our fennel spaghetti and smoked trout salad with fennel, apple & beetroot.
Check out what else is in season in September.
October
Squash
"Another versatile veg, there are so many varieties to choose from. My favourites: Crown Prince, red kuri, chestnut and Sunshine squash. From autumn until late spring my kitchen is never without one. I love halving them and just roasting them until they’re tender enough to scoop the flesh from the skin. This sweet delicious stuff can then be whipped into a glorious cheesecake (I like making mine with homemade labneh.) It’s also stunning just as mash, or blend it with herbs or spices and stock and you’ve got an instant soup.
"Squash is full of beta-carotene, the same orangey goodness you get from carrots. Our bodies turn beta-carotene into vitamin A, which can help keep skin healthy skin and promote good eye health. It’s also great for your immune system." Read more about the health benefits of squash.
Make the most of this autumn favourite in our butternut squash & sage risotto and spiced lentil & butternut soup.
Check out what else is in season in October.
November
Rosehips
"These vitamin C-packed gems can be found on rosebushes from early autumn, but November and December are the months to pick them – when they’re so soft you can squeeze out the ruby pulp out like toothpaste. I love making a voluptuous syrup out of rosehips, which I then pair with apples or turn into a tea. The sweet yet tangy syrup is also lovely swirled into yogurt, drizzled over pancakes or stirred into an apple-studded porridge."
Transform foraged berries into an immune-supportive cordial or pair with crab apples to make jelly.
Check out what else is in season in November.
December
Parsnips
"I have a sweet tooth but I try to steer clear of sugar. Roasted parsnips totally satisfy my cravings with their natural, honeyed sweetness. Even grated raw in salads (lovely with toasted hazelnuts and fresh lemon thyme), they’re divine. They even work grated into cakes, which helps bring down the added sugar content of a sponge, or grated and fried with chorizo for the most delicious breakfast hash ever. As well as being super tasty, parsnips are full of fibre, potassium and vitamin C." Read more about the health benefits of parsnips.
Make the most of parsnips with carrot & parsnip soup and creamy parsnip gratin.
Check out what else is in season in December.
Enjoy this? Now try...
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Top 20 healthiest vegetables
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10 foods to support your seasonal allergies
Do you have any seasonal health heroes to add to the calendar? Let us know in the comments below..
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