I’m so excited that it’s the first day of spring in the southern hemisphere! Yellow daisies are already bursting forth amongst grass, green shoots are brightening gnarled trees and smiles are lighting up faces as the days get longer and the harshness of winter eases.

Spring also signals a change to lighter, fresher, greener foods. There is the slow move away from heavier cooked meals to salads, lighter stir-fries and raw foods. You’ll also start to see new salad leaves, citrus fruits and the return of basil, coriander and dill.

The adage of a spring clean is as important for the body as it is for the home, and the best way to do this is to have lighter meals as the days get warmer and introduce slightly bitter foods* into your diet, which helps your liver gently revitalise and throw off any congestion from winter.

For our friends in the northern hemisphere, it’s the first day of autumn/fall and along with it the beauty of changing leaf colours, cooler nights and warmer foods. Summer foods are still lingering but with the addition of denser vegetables like potatoes, beans and pumpkins. A slow move away from predominately light and raw foods begins, and warmer, richer foods introduced to give the body more energy to keep warm.

Enjoy the change of season wherever you are and all the wonderful foods it brings into your life.

Why eat seasonally?

Foods in season are not only packed full of nutrients but they suit what our bodies need during the coming time of year. They’re also cheaper and it’s a wonderful way to support local growers who work hard to bring quality food to our tables. While supplementing dishes with other foods out of season is fine, remember that non-seasonal vegetables and fruits that you see at this time of year will be either flown in from interstate/overseas or grown in a green house – not really great for the environment, and will have lost much of their nutritional value due to their age and when they were picked.

* Foods that are traditionally bitter spinach, kale, cabbage, zucchini, dandelion (leaves and roasted root), grapefruit, radish leaves, asparagus

spring fruits and vegetables

autumn fruit and vegetables