Fruit lovers take note! August is truly lazy land if you love fruit: this month has by far the most seasonal fruit available of the whole year. Grapes, plums, figs and even melons can grow in the Dutch soil or in unheated greenhouses this month. But also for vegetable lovers - there is more than enough choice this month! In August, no less than 36 types of vegetables are in season. Are you curious to know which seasonal fruits and vegetables you can confidently put in your shopping basket in August?
August: the best month for seasonal Dutch fruit
Thanks to Crisp for the seasonal produce
If you eat according to the seasons, August is a fine month. There is so much deliciousness available from Dutch soil. Especially when it comes to seasonal fruit, August is the best month of the year. In August, as many as 15 types of fruit are in season in the Netherlands. Did you get a little too excited and stock up on too much fruit? No worries, I will tell you later how and where to store August's seasonal fruit best, so it will keep longer and you can enjoy it longer.
Seasonal August fruit and beautiful summer beets.
The benefits of seasonal fruit and vegetables
Supermarkets are full of fruit and vegetables. Why bother to pay attention to which fruit or vegetables are currently in season in the Netherlands? For one thing, it is better for the environment. Fruit or vegetables that have a longer transport route or are grown in heated greenhouses generally have a greater environmental impact. But did you also know that seasonal fruit and vegetables are better for your health? Because the transport route is shorter, the fruits or vegetables are riper before they are harvested. As a result, fewer nutrients are lost. Seasonal fruits and vegetables also contain more nutrients because they are stored for less time. Moreover, fewer pesticides are often used as they are less susceptible to diseases. Finally, it is usually a lot cheaper to buy seasonal fruit and vegetables.
Fruit or vegetables from the Netherlands are not always the most sustainable choice
Now that you are convinced of the benefits of seasonal vegetables and seasonal fruit, you can pay attention to them when you go shopping. Because the country of origin is indicated on the packaging, you may choose to buy fruit or vegetables from the Netherlands. Unfortunately, this is not always the most sustainable choice. After all, you can't tell in the supermarket whether the fruit or vegetable was grown in a heated greenhouse. For example, a head of lettuce from the Netherlands may be the most sustainable choice in July; while in January the head of lettuce from Spain is more sustainable because it grows in the open air. Pretty confusing isn't it? To make it easier for you, we have picked out for you which vegetables and fruits grow in full Dutch soil or in unheated greenhouses in the Netherlands. For October, these are the following fruit and vegetables:
Dutch seasonal vegetables August:
- potato (inspiration recipe: tikka masala with lentils, pepper and potato)
- endive
- artichoke
- aubergine (inspiration recipe: Chinese aubergine in Szechuan sauce)
- celery
- cauliflower (inspiration recipe: whole roasted cauliflower from the oven)
- broccoli (inspiration recipe: easy recipe for the tastiest stir-fried vegetables)
- Chinese cabbage
- courgette (inspiration recipe: curry recipe with lentils and saved vegetables)
- green celery
- celeriac (inspiration recipe: celeriac lasagne with vegan bolognese)
- cucumber
- kohlrabi
- head lettuce
- corn
- pak choi
- pepper (inspiration recipe: stuffed peppers with spinach and couscous)
- pumpkin (inspiration recipe: pumpkin curry quiche)
- leeks (inspiration recipe: creamy celeriac and leek soup)
- turnip greens
- radish
- red beet
- red cabbage
- savoy cabbage
- string bean
- green bean (inspiration recipe: green beans and potato curry)
- spinach (inspiration recipe: spicy spinach Indian style)
- pointed cabbage (inspiration recipe: vegan rendang with pointed cabbage)
- tomato (inspiration recipe: vegan gnocchi with vegetables in tomato sauce)
- onion (inspiration recipe: vegan lentil soup)
- fennel
- warmoes
- watercress
- white cabbage
- root (inspiration recipe: Moroccan-style carrots)
Broccoli that has flowers growing on it can be delicious stir-fried.
Dutch seasonal fruit August:
- strawberry
- apricot
- apple (inspiration recipe: apple puree)
- blueberry
- blackberry
- grape
- raspberry
- cherry
- melon
- nectarine
- pear
- peach
- plum
- fig (inspiration recipe: candied green figs)
- blackcurrant
Ideas for beautiful fruit skewers and refreshing ice creams to make with August's seasonal fruit can be found in the article with sustainable school treats.
In August, you can enjoy lots of seasonal fruit from the Netherlands. Take it, because in most months of the year the supply is just scarce.
What is the best way to store August's seasonal fruit?
As there are only a few months where many different types of seasonal fruit are available in the Netherlands, you naturally want to enjoy them extra. In the article featuring June's seasonal fruit, I already gave tips on how to handle overripe fruit and store fruit in the long term. If you prefer to eat August's seasonal fruit fresh, pay attention to how and where you store the fruit.
Store fruit (and vegetables) that excrete ethylene separately
Some fruits and vegetables secrete the gas ethylene. This gas causes other fruit or vegetables lying nearby to ripen faster. Therefore, it is better to store the following fruits and vegetables on their own: apricot, apple, melon, nectarine, pear, peach, plum and tomato. (Avocado, banana, kiwi, mango and passion fruit are not seasonal vegetables, but do excrete a lot of ethylene. So should you have them in the house: store them separately too).
Store fruit in the right place
Fruit also stays fresh longer if you store it in the right place. Most fruit grown in a cold country like the Netherlands will keep longer in the fridge. This applies to all August seasonal fruit, except melon. These are better stored outside the fridge. If you are curious, where best to store other fruits and vegetables: then check out this article.
Seasonal fruit and vegetables in August: sustainable, healthy and cheap
We hope you can now make conscious and healthy choices more easily. And with any luck, you'll notice it in your wallet too. Another little tip: bookmark this list on your phone. That way you will always have it to hand when you are in the shop and you can quickly find March's seasonal vegetables or seasonal fruit.
More sustainable tips from thegreenlist.nl
- A fresh fridge is nice. Check out the eco-friendly step-by-step plan to clean your fridge here.
- Sustainable grocery shopping? This is the place to be!
- Or already curious about September's seasonal vegetables? You can find it here.
Sources: Outdoor Living Feeling about the benefits of seasonal eating, Albert Heijn on the benefits of seasonal fruit and vegetables, VegetableGroente.nl on seasonal vegetables by country, Velt's seasonal calendar for the list of seasonal vegetables and seasonal fruit, Nutrition centre on preserving fruit. Photo credits: fridge: Cottonbro Studio (Pexels), main image and other photos: thegreenlist.nl.
