Eat Fresh All Year Long: A Guide to New Zealand's Seasonal Produce

Want to know what fruit and vegetables are in season right now? We've got you covered.

‍Thanks to New Zealand's unique and dynamic climate, each season brings a variety of delicious fruit and vegetables with it. Eating fresh, seasonal produce is not only great for our health, being full of nutrients, minerals & antioxidants, it's also benefits the environment and our local economy. And while those reasons alone should push you to eat seasonally, the key benefit for many around New Zealand right now is — it's cheaper.

‍If you, like most of us, are looking to cut down on the grocery bill, eating seasonally is more important than ever. But it can be hard to keep track of each and every piece of fruit and veg. We don't blame you. If you're constantly asking yourself 'what fruit and veg is in season?', you're in luck. Our food and nutrition partner, Appetise, has put together a handy guide to help you stay in the know.

What's in season in autumn?

Autumn brings cooler temperatures and shorter days, which signals to some fruits and vegetables that it's time to ripen and be harvested. Apples, feijoas, figs, grapes, pears, and quinces are some of the fruits that are in season during this time. These crops cope well in cooler temperatures and can withstand the light frost that sometimes occurs during autumn. And yes, tomatoes kinda also count in this. Vegetables such as beetroot, carrots, garlic, kumara, pumpkin, and squash also thrive in autumn's cooler weather and can be harvested in abundance.

Autumn's most affordable picks 🍂

Apples 🍏 Autumn brings about New Zealand's apple harvesting season, peaking between March and May, making them abundantly available during this time. With a surplus of apples available the prices tend to drop, making them one of the most affordable fruits during this time.

Pumpkins 🎃 As the weather starts to cool, a warming, wholesome bowl of pumpkin soup or stew becomes a staple (for me, at least). Due to their hard skin, pumpkins keep very well, making them available throughout the year. But, like most produce, are at their peak just after harvesting in autumn!

Kiwifruit 🥝 While kiwifruit are also available year-round, autumn is when the fruit is at its peak of flavor and abundance. And again, due to good old supply and demand, makes them very affordable.

All autumn produce

Fruit: 

• Apples, blueberries, feijoas
• (Gold) Kiwifruit, limes, mandarins, nectarines
• Passionfruit, peaches, pears, plums
• Rock Melon, watermelon, honeydew melon

Vegetables

• Broccoli, brussel sprouts, buttercup squash, butternut
• Cabbage, capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, celery, courgettes, cucumber
• Eggplant, fennel, kale, kūmara, leeks, lettuce
• Mushrooms, onions, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkin
• Radishes, rhubarb, silverbeet, spinach, spring onions
• Swedes, sweetcorn, tomatoes, turnips
  
  

What's in season in winter?

It won't come as a suprise saying this... winter in New Zealand can get pretty cold. And dark, too. Two conditions that most plants (fruit and vegetables included) don't particularly like to grow in. This unfortunately increases our reliance on imported, frozen or otherwise stored produce during these months. Luckily, there are still a few hardy crops which grow even in our chillier climate. Citrus fruits, such as grapefruit, lemons, mandarins, and oranges, are at their best during winter, as they need cooler weather to ripen properly. Root vegetables like parsnips, potatoes, swedes, and turnips are also in season during winter, as they can grow in the cooler soil and withstand the frost.

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Winter's most affordable picks ❄️

Broccoli 🥦 While broccoli can be planted throughout the year, it grows the best during the mid-summer, making it prime for a winter harvest. Due to the prime summer-growing conditions, broccoli harvested from this crop is often more nutritious, larger and cheaper.

Carrots 🥕 Similar to other recommendations, carrots are readily available in the winter — and therefore more affordable! But did you know that, due to the colder climate, are also at their peak in flavour? This is due to cold temperatures converting their starches to sugars resulting in a sweeter and more flavourful vegetable. Cheap and tasty. It's win-win.

Oranges 🍊 Continuing with the orange theme we have... well, oranges. As we mentioned, citrus fruits thrive in the winter months, making oranges a great, affordable option for a nutritious breakfast or lunch-box snack! (You could also opt for a lemon 🍋, but I don't think that would go down too well).

All winter produce

Fruit:

• Feijoas
• Grapefruit
• Kiwifruit
• Lemons
• Limes
• Mandarins
• Oranges
• Passionfruit

Vegetables:

• Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots
• Cauliflower, celery, cucumber, fennel
• Kale, kūmara, leeks, mushrooms
• Onions, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkin
• Radishes, rhubarb, silverbeet, spinach
• Spring Onions, swedes, tomatoes, turnips, yams
  
  

What's in season in spring?

Just like us, many fruits and vegetables begin to emerge after the colder winter months, making the most of the longer, warmer days. After likely indulging in soups, stews and other winter warmers, it's time to start thinking about your leafy greens. Cabbage, lettuce and spinach are abundant during our spring months, making them super affordable. The mild weather in New Zealand during spring is also perfect for growing produce like asparagus, avocado, peas, radish, spinach, and strawberries. These crops need a specific amount of sunlight, temperature, and moisture to grow, and the spring conditions provide just that.

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Spring's most affordable picks 🌱

Strawberries 🍓 With the citrus season coming to a close, it can be a rough period for locally-grown fruits. Except for the humble strawberry, with it's peak season between October & April. A true spring favourite for many Kiwis, and one of the cheapest available home-grown options, so make the most!

Asparagus 🥗 Asparagus can be quite a delicate vegetable that requires just the right amount of light, temperature and moisture. Luckily, spring conditions make it the perfect time for this goldilocks vegetable to grow (not too hot, not too cold). But, be quick, as the season is short and supply dwindles around January time.

Spinach 🥬 Spinach grows year-round, but requires less input and thrives better during late-winter and early-spring. Being a super food, packed full of minerals, nutrients and antioxidants, getting the most of it in your diet while it's at its peak is always a great idea.

All winter produce

Fruit:

• Grapefruit
• Kiwifruit
• Lemon
• Oranges
• Strawberries
• Tangelos

Vegetables:

• Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots
• Cauliflower, celery, cucumber, fennel
• Kale, kūmara, leeks, mushrooms
• Onions, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkin
• Radishes, rhubarb, silverbeet, spinach
• Spring Onions, swedes, tomatoes, turnips, yams

What's in season in summer?

When thinking of seasonal produce during the summer months, our minds (unsurprisingly) default to summer fruits. And rightly so. Think delicious blackberries and raspberries. Plum and peaches. Melons, nectarines and more. Summer truly is the season for sweet, satisfying fruits. But let's not forget about the delicious vegetables abundant through the summer too. Cucumber, zucchini and avocados are three delicious crops which peak during the summer months, perfect to be included in a cool, refreshing salad.

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Summer's most affordable picks 🌞

Avocados 🥑 During the summer months, avocados can fall as low as less than a $1, making them the perfect time to work into breakfasts, lunches and dinner. And, avocado prices continue to fall year-to-year, meaning there's never been a better time to be an avocado fan.

Berries 🫐 Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries are a few of the delicious berries readily available during summer. And the possibilities for using them are endless. Think pies, jams and other sweet treats. Or, stock up on them now and freeze them for later, perfect for smoothies and juices.

Tomatoes 🍅 Tomatoes are a staple summer crop in New Zealand, with the warm temperatures and long daylight hours providing ideal growing conditions. With a high supply and demand for tomatoes during the summer season, the prices tend to be lower, and make a perfect pairing in a fresh, summer salad with your avocados!

All summer produce

Written by: Tobi Hilliam

I am super passionate about innovation and improving lives. My focus is on making life simpler and more efficient, that could be keeping tabs on consumer trends or honing in on what matters most to our customers. Off-duty, I wear the hats of a devoted husband, proud dog dad, as well as pursuing hobbies like hunting and golfing, which offer a welcome balance to the daily grind

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