How to eat seasonally in October

We take a peek at what’s ripe and ready for eating at the minute. So when you’re writing your shopping list, why not look out for food that’s guaranteed to be at its very best this October? It may well have less food miles on the clock, support local supplies local supplies and taste amazing, too.

Vegetables

This is the month when green leafy veg, like kale and cabbage, are harvested – and root veg, such as celeriac and beetroot, are ready for roasting and making into a soup. Wild mushrooms are also a great choice at this time of year for an earthy flavour that shouts out ‘autumn’.

Fish

It’s said that we should only eat shellfish in months with an ‘r’ in them, so from September through to April, why not enjoy a steaming bowl of mussels? You can catch the end of the mackerel season too – they’re great for grilling and delicious baked whole.

Fruit

Apples, pears, plums and damsons should be in abundance, meaning you can look forward to mouth⁠-⁠watering crumbles, cakes and pies – perfect when the temperature feels distinctly cooler. Figs are ready to enjoy around this time, too – great with cheese or sliced into a tart.

Meat

Partridge is at its best from October, and you should also be able to find pheasant in the shops from about now. Traditionally thought of as a spring ingredient, lamb also comes into its own in the autumn – tasty in hearty stews and threaded in chunks onto skewers.