Seasonal food: what to eat in spring, summer, autumn and winter

Eating seasonable food is better for the environment.

Seasonal food is food that is naturally ripe and ready for harvest in your local area at a certain time of year.

Eating seasonal food means we don't have to import food from different climates around the world. It helps to make our diets more sustainable and reduce our carbon footprint.

Spring seasonal food

Meteorological spring in the UK is from 1 March to 31 May.

What you can harvest or buy

Fruits and vegetables in season are:

• asparagus – best in April

• cauliflower – available in early spring

• lettuce

• purple sprouting broccoli – available in early spring

• spring cabbage – best in May

• radishes

• rhubarb

• spinach

• spring onions

• watercress

Herbs in season are:

• parsley

What you can sow in spring

In spring, you can sow:

• beans

• beetroot

• cauliflower

• cabbages

• carrots

• chard

• courgettes

• leeks

• peas

• peppers and chillies

• pumpkins and squash

• tomatoes – start indoors and sow outdoors later in spring

• sweetcorn

Summer seasonal food

Meteorological summer in the UK is from 1 June to 31 August.

What you can harvest or buy

Fruits and vegetables in season are:

• artichokes
• aubergines – June onwards, but best in July
• blackcurrants
• blueberries
• broad beans
• chard – two seasons from June to August, and October to April
• cherries - mid-June to September
• courgettes
• cucumbers
• gooseberries
• new potatoes
• onions - March to August first season
• peaches - July onwards
• peppers
• plums
• raspberries
• redcurrants
• rocket - early summer onwards
• spinach
• spring onions
• strawberries
• watercress

Herbs in season are:

• parsley

What you can sow

In summer, you can sow:

• beetroot – plant in June for September and October
• brassicas – like kale and pak choi
• cabbages - winter cabbages in June (last chance), and spring in July or August
• carrots – during June and July
• fennel
• leeks – can be planted in July
• peas – including mangetout and snap peas
• radicchio/chicory, swede, celeriac
• salad crops – will produce a quick turnaround for harvest – lettuce, radishes (fast-maturing), leafy salads, rocket

Autumn seasonal food

Meteorological autumn in the UK is from 1 September to 30 November.

What you can harvest or buy

Fruits and vegetables in season are:

• apples
• blackberries
• broccoli
• cabbage
• carrots
• celery
• chard
• courgettes
• fennel
• fig
• garlic
• kale
• leeks
• lettuce
• parsnips
• pears
• peppers
• plums
• potatoes
• onions
• spinach
• sweetcorn
• turnips
• winter squash and pumpkins – from October

What you can sow

In autumn, you can sow:

• broad beans
• fruit trees

Winter seasonal food

Meteorological autumn in the UK is from 1 December to 28 (or 29) February.

What you can harvest or buy

Fruits and vegetables in season are:

• apples
• brussel sprouts
• cabbage - kale, red cabbage, savoy cabbage,
• carrots
• cauliflower
• celeriac
• Jerusalem artichokes
• leeks
• parsnips
• pears
• potatoes
• spring onions
• swedes
• turnips