The days are getting shorter and colder. Consequently, the number of different types of fruit and vegetables from Dutch soil is decreasing this month. Nevertheless, even in November, there is still plenty of choice of seasonal fruit and vegetables in our cold little country. This month, there are still 32 types of seasonal vegetables to choose from. When it comes to seasonal fruit, the choice is a little less: unfortunately, only four varieties are still available. Wondering which ones these are? In this article, we list all November's seasonal vegetables and seasonal fruit for you.
Especially in November, enjoy seasonal vegetables from Dutch soil
Thanks to Crisp for the seasonal produce
When you think of seasonal vegetables from Dutch soil, November is probably not the first month that comes to mind when you think of tasty fresh vegetables. Yet there are still plenty of tasty vegetables available from Dutch soil or from unheated greenhouses. Did you know that some vegetables actually benefit from the cold and become sweeter after the first night frost? I'll tell you how exactly this works later.
Seasonal vegetables November? Pumpkin in the lead!
The benefits of seasonal vegetables and seasonal fruit
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 vegetables and seasonal fruit are better for your health? Because the transport route is shorter, the vegetables or fruits are riper before they are harvested. As a result, fewer nutrients are lost. Seasonal vegetables and fruits 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 fruit and vegetables from the season.
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 figured out for you which vegetables and fruits grow in full Dutch soil or in unheated greenhouses in the Netherlands. For November, these are the following fruit and vegetables:
Dutch seasonal vegetables November:
The fruit and vegetables in bold can currently be harvested in the Netherlands. The remaining fruit and vegetables, although from the Netherlands, are from earlier months. Vegetables are often stored for months after harvest and thus sold (which is fine).
- potato (inspiration recipe: vegan tikka masala with lentils, pepper and potato)
- Jerusalem artichoke
- endive
- celery
- cauliflower (inspiration recipe: whole roasted cauliflower from the oven)
- kale (inspiration recipe: vegan pumpkin stew with kale asian style)
- 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)
- turnip
- mushrooms (inspiration recipe: vegan autumn stew with mushrooms)
- parsnip (inspiration recipe: vegan vegetable soup)
- pumpkin (inspiration recipe: pumpkin curry quiche)
- leeks (inspiration recipe: creamy celeriac and leek soup)
- turnip
- ramson ash
- red beet
- red cabbage
- savoy cabbage
- salsify
- sprouts (inspiration recipe: vegan gnocchi with vegetables in tomato sauce)
- onion (inspiration recipe: vegan lentil soup)
- lamb's lettuce
- fennel
- warmoes
- watercress
- winter purslane
- chicory
- white cabbage
- root (inspiration recipe: Moroccan-style carrots)
Dutch seasonal fruit November:
- apple
- grape
- melon
- pear
Why storage vegetables and fruits are also on the list
The fruits and vegetables listed above are the varieties normally available this month from full Dutch soil or unheated Dutch greenhouses. This will only not saying that these fruits and vegetables are also this month harvested are. Some varieties such as apple, pear, carrot, potato, pumpkin and onion, for example, can be stored by producers for longer periods of time. This makes these types of fruits and vegetables available even during the winter months, increasing the choice of fruits and vegetables produced locally. Thegreenlist.nl chose to include these storage vegetables and fruits in the list of seasonal vegetables and fruits as well, because they are a sustainable choice of the Dutch country. If we were to omit these varieties, there would be no fruit on the list at all in the winter months, for example. So these storage vegetables and fruits are not quite of the season, but they do offer an eco-friendly way to eat varied and healthy food during the colder months.
Want to know more about how Dutch producers store fruit and vegetables? You can read all about it in this article.
Looking at November's seasonal vegetables, you already notice that summer is really behind us.
Why are vegetables sweeter after a night of frost?
By November, the first night frost is usually here. Did you know that some vegetables, like kale, actually become sweeter because of this? When it freezes, the starch in the leaves is converted into sugars. The plant does this to protect itself from the cold. In this way, kale can withstand temperatures as low as minus 10°C. Other vegetables that protect themselves from frost in this way are Brussels sprouts, carrots and beetroot. Should it not freeze outside and you want to recreate this effect in the freezer compartment? Then I have to disappoint you. It only works when the plants freeze slowly; in the freezer compartment it goes too fast.
Why kale and Brussels sprouts not only taste extra delicious in November, but also have health benefits, read the article with the October seasonal vegetables.
Seasonal vegetables and seasonal fruit in November: sustainable, healthy and cheap
We hope you can now more easily make conscious and healthy choices. And with a bit of luck, you'll also notice it in your wallet. Another little tip: save this page on your phone, for example. That way you will always have it to hand when you are in the shop and you can quickly find November's seasonal vegetables or seasonal fruit.
More sustainable tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Save butts and stems of these vegetables because you can regrow them.
- No need to throw away old bread either: quickly check out these five delicious recipes using stale bread.
- Already curious about December'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, Volkskrant and Easy Kitchen Garden On vegetables and night frost. Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
