As the nights draw in, the weather gets colder and we see less and less of the sun, it’s easy to turn to unhealthy junk food. But with a bit of know-how and inspiration, it’s easy to get the nourishment your body needs to stay warm and fight off cold weather bugs, by eating seasonal, healthy winter foods. For maximum health benefits, we’ve selected some of our most nutrient-rich seasonal foods from our frozen and fresh produce range.
Read on to find out what fruit and vegetables are in season over the autumn and winter, what you can cook them with and why they’re a healthy addition to your dishes.
Romanesco Cauliflower
Originally from Italy, this unique cauliflower is known for its unique texture and nutty flavour. Romesco cauliflower is a healthy winter food as it’s packed full of vitamins C and K, making this autumn vegetable a perfect side to enjoy in a roast. Alternatively, add it into pasta for extra texture.
Cooking with Romanesco cauliflower is the perfect way to include seasonal winter veg in a wide variety of dishes for lunch or dinner.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb gets its rich red colour from one of its key antioxidants called anthocyanins. These antioxidants have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which can help to prevent a number of health related issues, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Although the rhubarb season typically begins in spring, we can harvest it as early as January – making it the perfect vegetable to enjoy all year round. If you keep some frozen rhubarb in your freezer, you have it on standby throughout the winter, for healthy and tasty dishes to get you through the colder months.
Rhubard also can grow indoors in the dead of winter. It’s harvested by candlelight and is grown in sheds that keep a warm temperate under a thin layer of soil.
Purple sprouting broccoli
Purple sprouting broccoli is a hardy winter vegetable, able to survive in temperatures down to -12 degrees celsius. This type of broccoli is packed full of vitamin C, which is a vitamin that’s harder to get enough of in the dreary months of winter. Purple broccoli is also a healthy winter food because it contains iron, folic acid and fibre.
With pistachio undertones, this vegetable is delightful as a side dish with olive oil, sesame seeds and garlic. You can also eat it raw as a quick snack on the go.
Parsnips
Arguably the best component of a Sunday roast or Christmas dinner, parsnips are a wonderful healthy winter food. One of the reasons why parsnips are a popular option for your winter meals is because there’s evidence to suggest it supports the immune system. Parsnips also come with a healthy dose of micronutrients, vitamins and fibre.
Typically, parsnips are cooked as part of a Sunday roast dinner with honey (or as part of our Sunday Roast Box) but they can also make for delicious cookies and other sweet treats.
Shopping for your healthy winter food
There are a wide variety of healthy winter foods that you can have for breakfast, lunch and dinner – or on the go as a snack. When you’re shopping for your ingredients, opt for the vegetables that have a variety of vitamins and antioxidants to help prevent or fight off the seasonal cold and flu.
Buying frozen vegetables and frozen fruit in bulk can be a way of guaranteeing that you always have your healthy foods available to cook all year round. Browse our frozen food section for quick home delivery through First Choice Produce.