How to Eat Seasonally This Winter

What's in Season in Winter?

There's plenty of foods for us to eat deep in the middle of winter thanks to grocery stores shipping in produce from all over the world. But if you're prioritizing eating those fruits and veggies that are in season, the list gets considerably shorter.

When we're talking about the winter season, we're generally talking about when the weather is below 30° Fahrenheit. Plants like evergreens and boxwoods can survive this type of weather and even stay green (plants are amazing, right?). However, that is not the case with a lot of the foods we put into our body. So what should we be looking for during this season?

• Foods that store well.
• Foods that are grown in a protected environment under some type of covering.
• Foods that are grown in temperate climates during the coldest parts of the year and are shipped the least distance before hitting your plates. 

What foods fit into these categories? Winter is coming, so let's dig in and find out!

(Prefer to listen? Check out Episode 3 of the Grow Your Self podcast, "Eat This All Winter Long," here.)

Enjoy Lots of Dark Leafy Greens to Eat Seasonally in Winter

There are three brassicas that fit the bill for winter eating: cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts.

Cabbage

You know what else is in season over the winter? Cold and flu viruses. Cabbage has lots of the nutrients your body needs to fight off viruses.

Cabbage is a green that stores incredibly well thanks to the leaves being so dense. They are also savoy, which means bumpy, and that gives the leaves a special resilience. This dark green can last a couple of weeks in the fridge. If you notice that it's starting to look a little old, you can peel off the top layers until you see those fresh leaves again!

Eating cabbage raw will give you the most nutritional value.

Kale

Kale is another nutrient-rich dark leafy green.

Many kale leaves are also savoy, so they're resilient and will hang on for a while. The best way to store kale to retain flavor and freshness is to wrap it very tightly and stick it in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.

Kale is great in soups, salads, or even cooked down like southern-style greens. Yum!

Brussels Sprouts

This green actually needs to grow in colder weather in order to fully form those cute little cabbage heads. Cool, right?!

Brussels sprouts that are harvested in the fall can hold on until February. If they go bad in your fridge, just do what you do with a big head of cabbage and start peeling back the layers.

Fill Up on Gourds to Eat Seasonally When It's Cold

All gourds are incredible to eat during the winter because they are extremely tough. They have that thick, bumpy skin that can hold up for months. You’ll find that a lot of the foods that we can eat during the colder parts of the year are generally more fibrous and tough.

It's a little embarrassing to admit, but I had a butternut squash that I forgot about in my pantry. I’m not kidding you—three months later, I took it out of my pantry and cut into it. It was just as good as any butternut squash that I would have bought a couple of days before. 

One of the best ways to enjoy gourds is roasting them. A little bit of acorn squash with some brown sugar... yummmmm! You can also put them in soups, which is so hearty and filling.

Winter Root Crops Are My Favorite Part of Eating Seasonally

There are lots of different root crops to enjoy (though some are taproots, some are tuberous roots, and some are bulbs).

Turnips

Turnips are actually in the same family as kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, but they have a sweetness to them that other Brassica vegetables don’t have. Full of vitamin C and K, folate, and fiber, they still have the same nutritional value.

Store turnips in a cool place, and they’ll last for months!

Beets

Beets are in the Amaranth family (same as Swiss chard and spinach). This is the superfood family, guys! Beets can aid in fighting cancer, protect the liver, improve digestive health, and so much more. They're full of vitamins A, B, and C, as well as potassium and folate. They're also a great natural source of sugar!

Beets store well in the refrigerator or a cool place.

Carrots

Carrots are great for your eyes, your skin, and, critically, your immune systems. I love roasting carrots and drinking carrot juice.

Parsnips

Parsnips are in the same family as the carrots—the Apiaceae family. Parsnips are an excellent source of vitamin C and folate.

Fennel

Also in the Apiaceae family, fennel works great in salad with carrots and parsnips. Fennel has a slight licorice flavor.

Tubers (Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes)

Tubers grow through the spring and summer but can store for a very long time.

These are vegetables that you want to be buying organic because their skin will absorb anything that is sprayed onto the soil.

Onions

Onions, garlic, shallots, and chives—all from the Allium family—add great flavor to any ordinary meal, and the oils in them have been shown to lower bad cholesterol.

What Fruit Is in Season in Winter?

In the winter, the fruits that are in season are citrus and pomegranates. If you’re in a temperate climate, you can actually grow citrus in your own garden. If not, you can support your local farmers' markets and buy citrus from them. Pomegranates are amazing in the winter, and they can store for a long time thanks to their tough outer skin. They grow October through January, and after that, they can store until March. And of course, the little seed pods that you can eat are full of nutrients.

Fill Up on the Good Stuff This Winter

Those are all of the vegetables and fruits that you can fill your plate with this winter. Are you up for a challenge? I know you can do it!

I challenge you to eat seasonally for one day this week. One day only. You’ll have a chance to see what it’s like, and you may even love it so much that you start to do it all the time! 

Thanks for being here with me and eating more seasonally all winter long!