The key to making healthy meals that don’t break the grocery budget.
Are you worried about the rising cost of your weekly grocery shop? Before you start thinking about cutting back on the healthier options, such as fruit and vegetables, check what’s in season. Seasonal fruit and vegetables are much cheaper than those out of season, making them a much smarter buy.
Let’s look at the autumn seasonal produce guide
According to the Seasonal Food Guide Australia* the following vegetables are in season during autumn: Asparagus, beans, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, potatoes, pumpkins, snow peas, spring onions, sweetcorn, tomatoes, turnips, and zucchini.
Tempt your taste buds with some of my delicious recipes
Download your FREE eBook. Quick Guide: Recipes with Autumn Seasonal Fruit & Veg
Asparagus
- Chicken and Asparagus Mornay – book 1
- Asparagus and Sweet Corn Soup – book 2
- Asparagus and Ham Slice – book 2
Beans
- Beans ‘n’ Bacon – book 4 + Cooking for 1 or 2 people
Cabbage
- Asian Salad – book 3 + Cooking for 1 or 2 people
- Beef Chow Sym – book 6 (Cabbage, carrot, beans are all in season)
- Curried Cabbage – book 1
Carrots
- Thai Carrot and Coconut Soup – book 4
- Carrot and Spinach Slice – book 4
- Honey Carrots – book 3
Cauliflower
- Curried Cauliflower Salad – book 6 + Cooking for 1 or 2 people
- Cauliflower Au Gratin – book 3
- Cauliflower Fried Rice – Cooking for 1 or 2 people
- Italian Chicken Cauliflower Pie – Cooking for 1 or 2 people
Egg plant
- Eggplant Parmigiana – book 6
- Shanghai Beef Stir Fry with Almonds – book 7
Potato
- Potato Lasagne – book 5
- Quick and Easy Potato Bake – book 6
- Rosemary Potatoes – book 4 + Cooking for 1 or 2 people
Pumpkin
- Chicken and Roast Pumpkin Risotto – book 7
- Moroccan Pumpkin Soup – book 7
- Pumpkin Scones – book 2
- Roast Pumpkin and Spinach Pie – book 5
Snow Peas
- Asian Green Stir Fry – book 6
- Chinese Beef – Book 5
- Rendang Beef and Vegetable Curry – book 7
Sweet Corn
- El Dorado Salad – book 7
Tomatoes
- Stuffed Tomatoes – book 5
- Tomato Bacon Muffins – book 7
- Tomato Basil Bacon Soup – book 7
Zucchini
- Zucchini Slice – book 1
- Zucci Walnut Cake – book 2
What fruit is in season in autumn?
According to the list*, autumn seasonal fruits include: Apples, bananas, figs, grapes, Kiwifruit, lemons, nectarines, peaches, pears, persimmons, plums, quinces, and watermelon. That’s more than enough to give you some variety in your menu plan without blowing the budget.
Some of my recipes made with these seasonal fruits:
Fresh Apples
- Apple and Prune Loaf – book 5
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins – book 1
- Apple Currant Crumble Slice – book 7
- Apple Fruit Cake – book 5
- Apple Sultana Teacake – book 2
- Apple Teacake – book 1
Bananas
- Banana Smoothie – book 3
- Blueberry and Banana Muffins – book 2 + Cooking for 1 or 2 people
- Caramel Banana Self-Saucing Pudding – book 3
- Chocolate Banana Cake – book 6
Lemons
- Lemon Date Cookies – book 5
- Lemon Jelly Slice – book 1
- Sticky Lemon Loaf – book 3
Pears
- Pear and Almond Tart – book 5
- Pear and Cranberry Loaf – book 5
- Pear and Walnut Salad – book 6
- Rhubarb and Pear Cobbler – book 7 (Gluten Free baking section)
Let’s wrap this up
Seasonal fruit and vegetables are the key to including healthy meals that don’t break the grocery budget. Remember, a healthy meal plan should include 5 serves of vegetables and 2-3 serves of fruit per day.
- 1 serve of vegetables = ½ cup
- 1 serve of fruit = 150g (includes skin and seeds).