Many changes throughout the year can affect how you use your kitchen. In the warmer months it feels natural to lean toward fresh, light foods whereas in the winter people love warm, filling foods. Going a step further, focusing on eating foods when they are in season (and preserving them for future seasons) can really help to decrease food costs. I will share a list of some of the most common produce items available each season but it is non-exhaustive and will depend some on where you live. I love to embrace seasonal eating and like to have certain focuses for each of the seasons to help take advantage of what that specific season has to offer.
Spring Seasonal Eating – Prep and Finish
Produce in Season: Asparagus, Avocados, Broccoli, Collard Greens, Kale, Peas, Spinach Strawberries, Pineapples
Spring is the season of change. Of welcoming a new year. What better time to finish off some of the foods you preserved the previous year and create more room for the coming year? So make an effort in your meal plans to use up what you have available rather than making a trip to buy something else from the grocery store. If you want some meal planning tips check out my post Meal Planning for Busy People. Even if you are going for long term storage, make sure you rotate through your stores each year, using the oldest stuff first. This way you can make sure all of your food storage stays good to eat.
One of my favorite parts of spring is planning and planting a garden. Currently for us this isn’t a traditional garden due to our living situation. Instead, we do container gardening on our front porch and plant half the front flower beds with produce instead of flowers. It is a great way to maximize space and get to have a garden without land.
Summer Seasonal Eating – Fresh from the Garden
Produce in Season: Apples, Beets, Peppers, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Corn, Cucumber, Cherries, Summer Squash, Tomatoes, Watermelon, Zucchini
With so many fresh produce options available, this is the ideal time to eat fresh from your garden (or the farmers market) as often as possible. This is good for your health, the planet, and your budget. And I don’t know about you but in the hot weather I would pick fresh salads and fruits over heavy stews any day.
Also take advantage of chickens laying extra eggs during the summer. If you don’t have your own, check to see if any of your friends or neighbors do or if any are available fresh from your farmer’s market. We don’t currently have chickens (definitely on the homestead wish list!) but my mother in law does and she often shares the extra eggs with us during the summer months.
Autumn Seasonal Eating – Harvest and Preserve
Produce in Season: Apples, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower, Grapes, Green Beans, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Sweet potatoes, Yams
Autumn is my favorite season. There is something about the harvest that always gets to me. This time of year is perfect for harvesting large amounts of food from your garden (or buying it from produce stands), eating as much as your heart desires, then preserving the rest.
Preserving methods include curing fruits and vegetables, dehydrating, freezing, and canning (both water bath canning & pressure canning). These skills are a real art and I am still working on mastering all of them but they are also so much fun and really fulfilling. Taking the time now to preserve what you can’t eat really makes a difference a few months from now when nothing is growing locally and is a cornerstone for seasonal eating. Make sure to use the best preserving options for the produce you have. For instance peach jam is perfect for canning but broccoli will really be best if frozen.
Winter Seasonal Eating – Baking and Slow Cooking
Produce in Season: Avocados, Brussels sprouts, Collard greens, Kale, Onions, Oranges, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Sweet potatoes, Yams
Winter is the perfect time to run your oven! Filled with holiday celebrations and family get togethers, there is a beautiful air of warmth during the winter. During this season, I like to spend plenty of time baking because the oven warming up the house is a positive side effect rather than a negative one as experienced during the summer. And many of the most nostalgic items from this time of year, like gingerbread cookies, roasted hams, and warming stews, require long cook times anyways. So take advantage of it!
In addition to baking and slow cooking, winter is the perfect time to enjoy all of the wonderful food that you preserved the seasons before. While those canned peaches, pickles, and jams may look beautiful on your shelf, their true purpose is to be eaten and they will bring great joy there too. It is so nice to be able to enjoy the delicious produce all year long. Don’t forget about the food you preserved in your freezer as well! And if you need or choose to supplement with grocery store produce take advantage of the foods that are still in season, even if nothing currently grows in your immediate area. Also take advantage of their freezer section where you can buy foods affordably in the off season.
Coming Together
And finding joy
I hope this guide helps you make the most of your kitchen with the changing seasons and helps you find joy in each of them. I feel that seasonal living can really help to bring the focus to the little things in life and help us fully appreciate them.
