These days we’re all more aware of the benefits of eating seasonally. Not only do fruit and vegetables taste better when grown in season, but they’re also often cheaper to buy. Eating seasonally is better for the environment, too, as seasonal produce doesn’t require additional heating or water to grow, and is more likely to have been grown locally, which means fewer emissions are generated from transportation. Plus, eating local, seasonal produce is a great way to support local farmers.
What’s even better, is if you can grow some of those fruit and vegetables yourself. There’s nothing quite as satisfying, or delicious, as picking homegrown herbs to garnish your first crop of new potatoes. Growing your own food can improve the sustainability of your diet, too.
Whether you grow your own food or buy UK-grown food from a shop, eating with the British seasons will bring you closer to nature. A freshly podded bowl of peas smells like summer, and is even more precious if you’ve grown your own peas. And, in winter, turnips, kale and sprouts – some of the best winter vegetables to grow – feel warming and cosy, just what we all need in February. Nature has a way of giving us food to suit the season – eating a tomato salad in January just doesn’t chime with the UK weather.
Knowing which fruit and vegetables are in season is a great way to inspire your cooking. Find out which home-grown fruit and vegetables are in season and when in the UK, below.
January
Fruit
- Apple (stored)
- Pears (stored)
- Rhubarb (forced)
Vegetables
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage (green savoy types)
- Cabbage (white)
- Cauliflower
- Cavolo nero
- Celeriac
- Chard
- Chicory
- Kale
- Leek
- Mushroom (cultivated)
- Parsnips
- Pumpkin and winter squash (stored)
- Purple sprouting broccoli
- Spinach (perpetual)
- Spring greens
February
Fruit
- Apple (stored)
- Pears (stored)
- Rhubarb (forced)
Vegetables
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage (green savoy types)
- Cauliflower
- Cavolo nero
- Celeriac
- Chard
- Chicory
- Kale
- Leek
- Mushroom (cultivated)
- Pumpkin and winter squash (stored)
- Purple sprouting broccoli
- Spinach (perpetual)
- Spring greens
March
Fruit
- Rhubarb (forced)
Vegetables
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage (green savoy types)
- Cauliflower
- Cavolo nero
- Celeriac
- Chard
- Chicory
- Kale
- Mushroom (cultivated)
- Purple sprouting broccoli
- Spinach
- Spinach (perpetual)
- Spring greens
- Turnip
April
Fruit
- Rhubarb (maincrop)
Vegetables
- Asparagus
- Cauliflower
- Chard
- Lettuce
- Mushroom (cultivated)
- Purple sprouting broccoli
- Radish
- Spinach
- Spinach (perpetual)
- Spring onions
- Turnip
- Watercress
May
Fruit
- Rhubarb (maincrop)
- Strawberry
Vegetables
- Asparagus
- Cabbage (green pointed types)
- Carrot
- Chard
- Garlic
- Lettuce
- Mangetout
- Mushroom (cultivated)
- Mustard leaves and mizuna
- Peas
- Radish
- Spinach
- Spinach (perpetual)
- Spring onions
- Turnip
- Watercress
June
Fruit
- Apricot
- Blackcurrant
- Cherry
- Gooseberry
- Greengage
- Loganberry
- Raspberry
- Redcurrant
- Rhubarb (maincrop)
- Strawberry
Vegetables
- Asparagus
- Broad bean
- Cabbage (green pointed types)
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Chard
- Garlic
- Globe artichoke
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce
- Mangetout
- Mushroom (cultivated)
- Mustard leaves and mizuna
- Onions
- Peas
- Potato (new)
- Radish
- Spinach
- Spinach (perpetual)
- Spring onions
- Turnip
- Watercress
July
Fruit
- Apricot
- Blackberry
- Blackcurrant
- Blueberry
- Cherry
- Gooseberry
- Greengage
- Nectarine
- Peach
- Raspberry
- Redcurrant
- Rhubarb (maincrop)
- Strawberry
- Tayberry
Vegetables
- Beetroot
- Broad bean
- Broccoli
- Cabbage (green savoy types)
- Cabbage (green pointed types)
- Cabbage (white)
- Cabbage (red)
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Cavolo nero
- Chard
- Chicory
- Courgette and summer squash
- Cucumber
- Garlic
- Globe artichoke
- Green beans
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce
- Mangetout
- Mushroom (cultivated)
- Mustard leaves and mizuna
- Onions
- Pak choi
- Peas
- Potato (new)
- Radish
- Runner bean
- Spinach (perpetual)
- Spring onions
- Tomatoes
- Turnip
- Watercress
August
Fruit
- Apricot
- Blackberry
- Blackcurrant
- Blueberry
- Damson
- Elderberry
- Fig
- Gooseberry
- Greengage
- Loganberry
- Nectarine
- Peach
- Plum
- Raspberry
- Redcurrant
- Strawberry
- Tayberry
Vegetables
- Beetroot
- Broad bean
- Broccoli
- Cabbage (green savoy types)
- Cabbage (green pointed types)
- Cabbage (white)
- Cabbage (red)
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Cavolo nero
- Celery
- Chard
- Chicory
- Chilli peppers
- Courgette and summer squash
- Cucumber
- Fennel (bulb)
- Globe artichoke
- Green beans
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Lamb’s lettuce
- Leek
- Lettuce
- Mangetout
- Mushroom (cultivated)
- Mushroom (wild)
- Mustard leaves and mizuna
- Onions
- Pak choi
- Peas
- Peppers (capsicum)
- Potato (maincrop)
- Potato (new)
- Radish
- Runner bean
- Spinach (perpetual)
- Spring onions
- Sweetcorn
- Tomatoes
- Turnip
- Watercress
September
Fruit
- Apple
- Apricot
- Blackberry
- Blueberry
- Crab apple
- Damson
- Elderberry
- Fig
- Loganberry
- Melon
- Nectarine
- Peach
- Pears
- Plum
- Raspberry
Vegetables
- Aubergine
- Beetroot
- Broad bean
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage (green savoy types)
- Cabbage (green pointed types)
- Cabbage (white)
- Cabbage (red)
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Cavolo nero
- Celery
- Chard
- Chicory
- Chilli peppers
- Courgette and summer squash
- Cucumber
- Fennel (bulb)
- Green beans
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Lamb’s lettuce
- Leek
- Lettuce
- Mangetout
- Mushroom (cultivated)
- Mushroom (wild)
- Mustard leaves and mizuna
- Onions
- Pak choi
- Parsnip
- Peas
- Peppers (capsicum)
- Potato (maincrop)
- Radish
- Runner bean
- Spinach
- Spinach (perpetual)
- Spring onions
- Swede
- Sweet potato
- Sweetcorn
- Tomatoes
- Turnip
- Watercress
October
Fruit
- Apple
- Pears
- Plum
- Quince
- Raspberry
Vegetables
- Aubergine
- Beetroot
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage (green savoy types)
- Cabbage (green pointed types)
- Cabbage (white)
- Cabbage (red)
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Cavolo nero
- Celeriac
- Celery
- Chard
- Chicory
- Chilli peppers
- Courgette and summer squash
- Cucumber
- Fennel (bulb)
- Green beans
- Jerusalem artichoke
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Lamb’s lettuce
- Leek
- Lettuce
- Mushroom (cultivated)
- Mushroom (wild)
- Mustard leaves and mizuna
- Pak choi
- Parsnip
- Peppers (capsicum)
- Potato (maincrop)
- Pumpkin and winter squash
- Purple sprouting broccoli
- Radicchio
- Radish
- Runner bean
- Spinach
- Spinach (perpetual)
- Spring greens
- Spring onions
- Swede
- Sweet potato
- Sweetcorn
- Tomatoes
- Turnip
- Watercress
November
Fruit
- Apple (stored)
- Pears (stored)
- Quince (stored)
Vegetables
- Beetroot
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage (green savoy types)
- Cabbage (white)
- Cabbage (red)
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Cavolo nero
- Celeriac
- Celery
- Chard
- Chicory
- Jerusalem artichoke
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Lamb’s lettuce
- Leek
- Lettuce
- Mushroom (cultivated)
- Mushroom (wild)
- Mustard leaves and mizuna
- Pak choi
- Parsnip
- Pumpkin and winter squash
- Radicchio
- Spinach
- Spinach (perpetual)
- Spring greens
- Swede
- Turnip
December
Fruit
- Apple (stored)
- Pears (stored)
- Quince (stored)
Vegetables
- Beetroot
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage (green savoy types)
- Cabbage (white)
- Cabbage (red)
- Cauliflower
- Cavolo nero
- Celeriac
- Celery
- Chard
- Chicory
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Leek
- Mushroom (cultivated)
- Mustard leaves and mizuna
- Parsnip
- Pumpkin and winter squash (stored)
- Purple sprouting broccoli
- Radicchio
- Spinach (perpetual)
- Spring greens
- Swede
- Turnip
