Seasonal Food Calendar

Spring is round the corner and it shows. Parsley and chives are back on the table and go perfectly with a plate of freshly caught wild salmon. Or ask your fishmonger for broken pieces to put together a fish pie for less.

Watercress and spinach are sprouting, and wild garlic is now in season. Wild sea trout is a more affordable alternative to wild salmon. And Jersey Royal potatoes are shipped over from the Channel Islands for a short time only.

Don’t miss the small window to enjoy British asparagus. Rocket and radishes are ideal in salads. By the end of May, your butcher will have tender spring lamb to tempt you. Just add mint sauce.

More and more fruit and veg become available throughout June. Stock up on strawberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries and cherries. What you can’t eat, turn into jam or freeze to eat later in the year. It’s your last chance to enjoy British asparagus. You can also fill up on carrots, tomatoes, peppers, broad beans and fennel.

Our best month for variety. Add French beans and runner beans to your plate, or make a leafy salad with lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes. Redcurrants and raspberries add to the glut of soft fruit that’s already available.

Another plentiful month. Make the most of the abundance of veg that’s available. Add aubergines, courgettes and sweet peppers to your shopping list. Put them in pasta sauces and freeze them for leaner months. Enjoy blackberries and plums for pudding. And look out for fresh game: the grouse season starts on 12 August every year.

Your last chance to turn soft fruit into jams to enjoy all winter. You can preserve summer veg too – just choose your favourite pickle or relish recipe. Homegrown apples can be stored for up to six months. Or you can make apple sauce or freeze apple slices to use in pies and crumbles as you need them.

Curry powder blends beautifully with pumpkin or butternut squash to make a gently warming soup. Add meaty mushrooms to dishes as a filling (and cheap) alternative to beef or lamb. Monkfish, oysters and eel are good seafood choices this month.

Root vegetables and leafy greens are making a comeback. Treat the family to a roast with plenty of carrots, parsnips and potatoes. Or rustle up something new using beetroot, brussels tops, cabbage, celeriac or kale.

The year ends on a high note, with lots of lovely root vegetables for serving up at festive meals. Chestnuts and walnuts can be toasted, roasted or used in cakes and stuffings. They won’t be available for long, so dig in now while you can.

Starting the New Year off on the right foot means making the most of seasonal root vegetables in healthy and nutritious soups and stews. They’re easy to prepare and very cost effective, which is great after spending so much over the holidays. Venison, hare and other game are also in season and can be bought from most butchers and some supermarkets. Combining these into your soups, stews and casseroles will help make the meat go further and keep your bank balance healthy.

Take advantage of plump mussels and other affordable seafood. Savoy cabbage and purple-sprouting broccoli join cauliflower and leeks at this time of year. And you can serve up the first rhubarb in a crumble for pudding.