Root crops for winter

Almost any food and fresh produce item you can think of is at your fingertips, regardless of the the time of year. This doesn’t necessarily mean, however, that it’s what your body or the planet needs when it comes to abundant health and good nutrition. Produce grown and eaten seasonally also means it is grown locally, reducing the environmental footprint of transporting food, supporting local economies and farmers and creating greater connection to the land and community. Foods produced and consumed in season are more nutritionally dense and maximise flavour. Eating for the season is nothing new in the food world, yet it’s easily forgotten. As winter arrives, it’s time to revisit the incredible benefits of eating for the season and dive into some of winter’s great staples: root crops.

The cooler months offer an array of beautiful fresh produce options including apples, kiwifruit, citrus, pears, rhubarb, cauliflower, kale, radicchio, silver beet, strawberries, mandarins, blood oranges and pumpkin. But root crops and vegetables including potato, sweet potato, parsnip, carrot, beetroot, swedes, turnips and Jerusalem artichoke, just as a start, deliver sustenance and create the base of many meals. Being