Regional instead of global: your seasonal calendar for more flavour and climate protection

Regional is key: How to enjoy fruit and vegetables and protect the climate by making the right choices. Inspiration and practical tips for your shopping.

The bright red tomato in January, the crunchy grapes in February - tempting, isn't it? But behind the perfect appearance on the supermarket shelf often lie thousands of kilometres of air travel and energy- and water-intensive cultivation. Outside their natural season, all fruit and vegetables carry an ecological rucksack.

Yet the solution is often so close and so simple. This overview is intended to be a practical compass for shoppers who value regionality, conscious choices and a clear conscience. Freshly harvested throughout the year, straight from Germany.

The local harvest starts in spring

Spring marks the start of the season for the first fresh home-grown vegetables.

Example: asparagus (April to the end of June)

• Sustainability: Using local asparagus is the direct answer to imported produce from overseas. If you plan your menu around the seasonal hero asparagus, you can automatically avoid buying fruiting vegetables such as tomatoes or courgettes, which can only come from energy-intensive greenhouses at this time of year.
• Practical information: You can recognise fresh asparagus by its tightly closed heads and juicy, undried cut surfaces. If two stalks squeak when you rub them together, they are fresh.

Example: Rhubarb (April to June)

• Sustainability: Rhubarb is an excellent seasonal alternative to tart, imported exotic fruits such as passion fruit or limes. Its cultivation in Germany is uncomplicated and comparatively resource-friendly.
• Practical information: You can recognise freshness by the firm, shiny stalks. Important: The leaves contain oxalic acid and are poisonous, so only use the stalks. Wrapped in a damp cloth, it will keep for several days in the fridge.

Abundance and variety of flavours in summer

The choice of local fruit and vegetables is huge in summer and it is easiest to choose regional produce.

Example: Strawberries (May to July)

• Sustainability: The German strawberry season not only replaces the fruit flown in from southern Europe in winter. It is also a conscious alternative to exotic fruits such as mango for desserts.
• Practical information: You can recognise fresh strawberries by their shiny colour and fresh green leaves. Store them side by side in the fridge and only wash them shortly before eating.

Example: Tomatoes (July to September)

• Sustainability: Open-air tomatoes from Germany replace imported tomatoes in summer and can also be a fresh alternative to tinned tomatoes, the transport of which also costs energy.
• Practical information: Ripe tomatoes are intensely flavoured and yield to light pressure. Never store tomatoes in the fridge as they lose their flavour there. Room temperature is ideal.

Autumn is harvest time - and storage time

Autumn brings robust vegetables and storable fruit.

Example: Pumpkin (September to November)

• Sustainability: Pumpkin is the regional alternative to the increasingly popular but mostly imported sweet potato. Varieties such as Hokkaido or Butternut can replace the sweet potato 1:1 in many recipes.
• Practical information: A ripe pumpkin sounds hollow when you knock on it. The stem should be woody and dry. Whole pumpkins can be stored in a cool, dry place for months.

Example: Apple (from September)

• Sustainability: A regional apple replaces its counterparts that have travelled halfway around the world. Thanks to its good shelf life, it is available regionally until the following spring and can therefore replace bananas or other exotic fruits that are imported all year round as snacks.
• Practical information: The skin should be firm and without large bruises. Apples are best stored in a cool, dark place, separate from other fruit and vegetables, as they release the ripening gas ethylene.

Tasty sources of vitamins for the winter

Typical winter vegetables are robust, rich in nutrients and perfect for savoury dishes.

Example: Kale (November to February)

• Sustainability: Kale is the local superfood par excellence. It grows here even in the cold and easily replaces hyped, imported "superfoods" such as goji berries or chia seeds, for example in smoothies.
• Practical information: The leaves should have a bright green colour and look crisp. Remove the thick leaf veins before preparation. When kale has had its first frost, it becomes sweeter in flavour.

Example: Parsnip (October to March)

• Sustainability: The slightly sweet, flavoursome parsnip is a traditional winter vegetable that is an excellent alternative for dishes that would otherwise use imported sweet potatoes.
• Practical tip: Choose small to medium-sized parsnips, as large ones can be woody. They will keep for several weeks in the vegetable drawer of the fridge.

The big seasonal overview for Germany