I love how each season brings its own fresh produce.
In Queensland, July marks the start of strawberry season. We pick them, make jam and add strawberries to almost everything.
Shortly after, asparagus arrives. Those tender green shoots are a real treat, especially with homemade hollandaise.
Following asparagus come the mangoes. Nothing announces summer like sitting in the backyard, sucking the flesh from a ripe mango while the juice drips down your arms.
Winter has its own pleasures too — ripe pears and creamy cauliflower soup are among my favourites.
Do you eat seasonally? For many people, seasonal eating has become rare.
Global distribution, processing and cold storage mean supermarket shelves are stocked with similar produce year‑round. While having access to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables all year is a benefit, there’s something special about eating local, seasonal produce and feeling connected to the natural cycle.
Seasonal eating offers many advantages. Produce picked and eaten in season is often cheaper, more flavorful, more nutritious and sourced closer to home.
There’s also the joy of anticipation — looking forward to the first mango of summer or the comforting richness of cauliflower in winter. As modern life distances us from the natural world, experiencing the seasons through food is an easy and rewarding way to reconnect with nature.
I’m lucky to live in a region where food grows abundantly. That’s not the case everywhere, and long‑distance food transport is a modern marvel that provides year‑round access to nutritious food — a blessing we shouldn’t take for granted.
If you’d like to eat more seasonally, I’ve created printable guides to help you plan. These guides are general — for example, strawberries begin in July in Queensland but usually don’t ripen until November or December in Victoria. They’re useful for planning, but the best way to know what’s truly in season in your area is to visit your local farmers’ market and talk to growers.
- Summer Guide
- Autumn Guide
- Winter Guide
- Spring Guide
