Buying with the seasons is the rare decision that improves flavour and lowers cost at the same time. Produce in season is abundant, travels less, and is picked closer to ripe.
Spring
Asparagus, peas, spring onions, radishes, new potatoes and early leafy greens. Light cooking suits everything here — steaming and quick roasting rather than long braises.
Summer
Tomatoes, berries, stone fruit, courgettes, peppers, corn and cucumbers. This is the season where the difference between in-season and out-of-season produce is most obvious, particularly with tomatoes and berries.
Autumn
Apples, pears, squash, root vegetables, mushrooms and brassicas. Sturdier produce that stores well, which makes it forgiving if your week does not go to plan.
Winter
Citrus, cabbage, leeks, potatoes, onions and hardy greens. Frozen vegetables genuinely come into their own here — frozen peas in February are usually better than fresh ones.
Two habits that help
- Let the price guide you. When something is unusually cheap and looks good, it is generally in season.
- Freeze the gluts. Berries and stone fruit at their summer peak freeze well and are far better in a January smoothie than the out-of-season fresh equivalent.
Our seasonal collections shift through the year, so what is featured on the homepage is a reasonable shortcut to what is worth buying now.