Seasonal foods

Lipková Michaela

Why and what seasonal foods to consume!

Do you care to eat healthy and only quality food? The easiest way to achieve this is to focus on seasonal production. This will bring you closer to the diet that is natural for us and provide the body with the nutrients it needs at that time. At present, however, we have almost disconnected from the agricultural cycle, especially in the cities, so we have prepared an overview that will make it easier for you to find your way around your food according to the seasons.

Spring

The spring months are preparing for summer, and the production of fresh vegetables and fruits is beginning to expand in the markets and gardens, and there is still something to look forward to.

Seasonal food tip: Asparagus with hollandaise sauce, strawberry bubbly

What foods can you get fresh in the spring?

Seasonal vegetables

April: onions, radishes
May: onions, radishes, asparagus, kohlrabi and salads
June: onions, radishes, asparagus, kohlrabi and salads, broccoli, zucchini, beans, peas, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes and beets

Seasonal fruits

April: -
May: strawberries
June: strawberries, gooseberries, cherries, sour cherries

What foods will you use locally stored?

Vegetables

April: celery, garlic, brussels sprouts, carrots, parsnips, parsley, leeks, beets and cabbage
May: celery, garlic, carrots, parsley, leeks, beets
June: celery, garlic

Fruit

April: apples
May: -
June: -

Summer

In the summer months, in good conditions, there is literally a whirlwind of fruit and vegetables. Markets are flooded with sweet fruit and beautifully ripe vegetables, so the choice is the most of all months. That’s why you should also think about winter food supplies in the summer - buy (or collect) more from various fruits and vegetables, store them sliced in the freezer or cook. In winter, a more limited menu will brighten you up and brighten up the gray days.

Seasonal food tip: Vegetable lecho, Italian spaghetti, fruit crumble

What foods can you get fresh in the summer?

Seasonal vegetables

July: broccoli, celery, onion, zucchini, garlic, beans, peas, cabbage, kohlrabi, cauliflower, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, beets, lettuce, cabbage
August: broccoli, celery, onion, zucchini, garlic, pumpkin, beans, peas, both sprouts, kohlrabi, cauliflower, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, patison, leek, tomatoes, radish, radish, beets, lettuce, cabbage
September: broccoli, celery, onion, zucchini, chicory, pumpkin, beans, both sprouts, kohlrabi, cauliflower, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, parsnips, patison, parsley, leek, tomatoes, radishes, radishes, beets, lettuce, cabbage

Seasonal fruits

July: gooseberries, peaches, pears, apples, strawberries, apricots, currants, plums, cherries, sour cherries
August: gooseberries, peaches, pears, apples, strawberries, apricots, blackberries, grapes, currants, plums
September: peaches, pears, apples, strawberries, melons, blackberries, plums, grapes

What foods will you use locally stored?

Only garlic is stored during the summer.

Autumn

Many people think that in the fall, according to seasonality, almost nothing should be available, but in reality there is a lot, and what is not fresh is still in stock. Take advantage of this and prepare meals made from local ingredients. Even so, you will help yourself to a disease-free winter.

Tip for seasonal food: Autumn salad of roasted vegetables, pumpkin soup, poppy seed cake

What foods can you get fresh in the fall?

Seasonal vegetables

October: broccoli, celery, chicory, pumpkin, both sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi, parsnips, patizon, parsley, leek, radish, beet, salads, cabbage (also Chinese)
November: both types of cabbage, leeks, cabbage (also Chinese)
December: both types of cabbage, leek

Seasonal fruits

October: peaches, pears, apples, blackberries, grapes, plums
November: -
December: -

What foods will you use locally stored?

Vegetables

October: onions, zucchini, garlic, carrots, peppers,
November: broccoli, celery, onion, zucchini, chicory, garlic, pumpkin, kohlrabi, carrots, parsnips, patizon, parsley, radish, beets
December: celery, onion, zucchini, garlic, pumpkin, kohlrabi, carrots, parsnips, patizon, parsley, radish, beets, cabbage (including Chinese)

Fruit

October: melons
November: pears, apples
December: pears, apples

Winter

In winter, enjoy the root vegetables that warm and saturate best. Winter vegetables have a full taste, which is best manifested after laying down. So don’t be afraid to cook larger portions and store them in the fridge, for example, on weekdays. Process stored summer fruits gradually and preferably as warm desserts - fruit cakes, muffins or hot toppings are the best use that will enliven the limited winter diet.

Seasonal food tip: Stewed brussels sprouts, leek soup, apple pie

What foods can you get fresh in the winter?

Seasonal vegetables

January: Brussels sprouts, leeks
February: Brussels sprouts
March: Brussels sprouts

Seasonal fruits

The fruit is not fresh in winter, you only need to take apples and pears from stocks or fruit that we froze fresh in summer and autumn.

What foods will you use locally stored?

Vegetables

January: celery, onion, garlic, pumpkin, cabbage, kohlrabi, parsnips, parsley, radish, beet, cabbage (also Chinese)
February: celery, onion, garlic, pumpkin, cabbage, kohlrabi, leek, parsnips, parsley, beets, cabbage (including Chinese)
March: celery, onion, garlic, pumpkin, cabbage, kohlrabi, leek, parsnips, parsley, beets, cabbage (including Chinese)

Fruit

January: apples, pears
February: apples, pears
March: apples

How to process seasonal vegetables and fruits?

There are times when there is less food and there is no shortage at other times of the year. Especially in autumn and winter, it is ideal to process fresh root vegetables, respectively stored from local farmers and farmers. Fortunately, winter vegetables have an inexhaustible number of uses - you can cook rich and delicious soups and creams, thick sauces and colorful roasted salads. From stored apples and pears you will prepare great warm desserts such as puddings, strudels and crumbs and will enliven the breakfast in fresh and stewed form. The autumn flood of pumpkins is ideal to keep in the form of cooked puree for baking and cooking in other months.

In the spring and summer, it is necessary to think ahead to keep all your tastes. Markets and gardens usually overflow with a variety of ingredients that are often not consumed as main courses and fresh, so it’s time for our grandmothers' skills and knowledge.

In particular, fruit offers a wide range of preservation for the winter: make jams, fruit purees and compotes, bake roasted tea supplies, make fruit and herb syrups and especially freeze berries - in winter you will appreciate them for morning porridge or yoghurt and cakes. From the excess vegetables, you will benefit from prepared ketchups and vegetable mixtures - for example, lecho in a glass, which you can easily add later, for example, eggs before serving. A great way to use herbs is also a variety of green pesto, which you create in a blender in a few minutes and save you when you need to prepare a quick meal in a hurry. If you have a food dryer at home, you can quickly and efficiently dry the summer and spring portion and store it in closable dark jars so that the ingredients do not get wet. But drying in the sun will serve just as well.

Store food supplies best in the dark and cool - both the cellar and the pantry or other cold part of the house will serve well. It is best to consume frozen food within a few months, cooked glasses will last for several years, but it is good to check them regularly and always consume the oldest dates.