How to choose the best local seasonal produce this summer

How can we make sure we’re cooking with the best seasonal produce? Our eat well ambassador James Colquhoun explains which ingredients are best now and where to look for them.

There are lots of benefits to planning meals that are in season – especially because it will make your shopping list more affordable. But how do you know what’s in season and what’s not?

If you've got no idea where to start, the easiest way to find out is to go to your grocer, local farmer’s market or the supermarket, and look at which products of Australia are on special. For example, if raspberries are four dollars instead of nine dollars, they’re in season. It’s a piece of cake.

Over the Christmas period, I love watermelon. It’s one of the most incredible fruits. It contains dietary fibre and vitamin C, plus its natural sugars provide a beautiful sweet flavour.

Mangoes are fantastic, too, but watch your sugar consumption. When we think about sugar, we think about refined sugar products like chocolate, but fruit also has sugar. Yes, fruit also has fibre that goes with them to help regulate that sugar, but you can still overdo the amount of fruit-based sugar that you consume. Generally, the experts suggest aiming for about two serves of fruit per day, and more is okay if you’re active. In terms of things we might eat too much of, fruit is definitely not the worst. Full of vitamins and antioxidants, it’s better to eat too many mangoes than a whole cake.

So, make sure that you also try to balance sweeter fruit with some seasonal greens like cucumber.

Nature is an incredibly intelligent system and it's designed to provide us with nutrients from seasonal foods at the times when we need them most. It also supports our immunity, our gut health and our vibrancy at certain times of the year.

That's why lighter, high-sugar, vibrant-coloured fruit will be appearing in summer. They support our digestive activity, longer periods of sunlight and hotter weather better than winter root vegetables, which are more grounding (ideal for when we need to feel full and energised when it’s cold).

Food that’s at its absolute best can change dramatically depending on your location. What’s in season in Melbourne can be quite different to Tasmania.

We could say, ‘bananas are in season,’ but if you're in Tasmania, bananas are rarely in season. Look from a local perspective when you’re shopping for seasonal produce.

I try to look at local delicacies that are in season in particular regions. A great way to figure this out, again, is by going to farmers' markets or fancy food fairs, where you start to get to know what unique foods grow in those areas.

Finger limes, for instance, are a traditional bush food in a particular part of south east Queensland, where I'm from. Finger limes are an incredible ingredient – often compared to caviar because of their unusual texture – and can top anything from salmon fillets to tacos. I like using them in spritzers – you can find some of my favourite recipes here. If you’re not sure what grows in your area, talk to your grocer. It will undoubtedly inspire you to expand your repertoire when entertaining this summer.

Filmmaker of 'Food Matters' and 'Hungry For Change', and founder of FMTV, James has dedicated his life to discovering the truth behind nutrition and our food supply. James, alongside Laurentine ten Bosch, has transformed the 'Food Matters' film into a global wellness hub, with a community of over 3.3 million followers across email and social networks. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.

Disclaimer:
The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional, tax or other advice. It does not take into account any individual’s personal situation or needs. You should consider obtaining professional advice from a financial adviser and/or tax specialist, or medical or health practitioner, in relation to your own circumstances and before acting on this information.