Paris-Pas-Cher: Seasonal Produce

When it comes to French savoir-faire, look no further than seasonal produce. Eating in season is an important part of everyday French life that can help you eat healthier, save money, and support local farmers. What could be better?

The French have a very logical and practical way of eating food; produce is bought and sold according to seasonal cycles, i.e. you’re not going to find pineapples at the local market in December. This varies greatly from giant countries like the United States where produce is available all year long thanks to the range of climates within the country and the refrigerated transport trucks that deliver food. In France, they sell produce the way nature intended. (Whatever that means.)

Eating produce seasonally is a great way to save cash, which you’ll thank yourself down the road, believe me. Seasonal produce is better for your wallet because out of season fruit is not only hard to find, but also way more expensive. The price of zucchini can be as high as 7€50 a kilo during the winter, while the cost during the summer is only 1€ a kilo.

Paris is an area where frost and freezing temperatures are rare, which means fresh local produce is sold at open air markets like Marché Aligre and Marché Place des Fêtes all year long. France does not use pesticides in fresh produce, meaning the food won’t last as long but is fresher when bought.

Too lazy to venture out? Don’t fret, with Kelbongoo you can order vegetables and produce from farmers around Paris and in Picardie, and have them delivered twice a week to a drop of point in Paris.

Unlike a large chain supermarché, fresh produce markets don’t use a middle man, which means your fruits and veg won’t be sitting on a truck for who knows how many days. EU regulations also require sellers to display information about the origin of the produce so you know whether or not it is local.

The fresh produce at local markets are picked when ripe and immediately taken to be sold. This is important to know because vegetables quickly lose their nutrients once picked. This means farm to produce market is the best guarantee to get the most nutrients out of your produce. AND, buying local helps support local farmers, so everybody wins.

Check out this list of seasonal produce to get on your way to better health and more savings!

Spring:

• Artichokes/Artichauts
• Asparagus/Asperges
• Avocados/Avocats
• Beets/Betteraves
• Carrots/Carottes
• English or Snow peas/Mange-tout
• Fava beans/Haricots de Fava
• Green beans/Haricots verts
• Green garlic/Ail vert
• Potatoes/Pommes de terre
• Radishes/Radis
• Rhubarb/Rhubarbe
• Spinach/Épinard
• Bitter lettuces (Arugula, French/Belgium Endives, Escarole, Chicory)/Laitues amères (Roquette, Endives françaises/belges, Escarole, Chicorée)
• Vidalia onions/Oignons de Vidalia
• Zucchini/Zucchini
• Apricots/Abricots
• Cherries/Cerises
• Strawberries/Fraises

Summer:

• Beets/Betteraves
• Corn/Maïs
• Cucumbers/Concombres
• Eggplant/Aubergine
• Fresh herbs/Herbes fraîches
• Garlic/Ail
• Green beans/Haricots verts
• Okra/Gombo
• Onions/Oignons
• Potatoes/Pommes de terre
• Summer squash/Potimarron
• Summer lettuce (Romaine, Mâche, Butterhead, Oak Left green/red)/Laitue d’été (Romaine, Masque, Butterhead, Chêne Gauche vert/rouge)
• Blackberries/Mûres
• Blueberries/Myrtilles
• Figs/Figues
• Grapes/Raisins
• Limes/Citrons verts
• Mangos/Mangos
• Melons/Melons
• Nectarines/Nectarines
• Peaches/Pêches
• Plums/Prunes
• Raspberries/Framboises
• Tomatoes/Tomates

Fall:

• Arugula/Roquette
• Beets/Betteraves
• Bell peppers/Poivrons
• Broccoli/Brocoli
• Brussel sprouts/Choux de Bruxelles
• Cabbage (green, Napa, red, Savoy)/Chou (vert, Napa, rouge, Savoie)
• Celery/Céleri
• Chard/Bettes
• Fennel/Fenouil
• Garlic/Ail
• Green tomatoes/Tomates vertes
• Kale/Chous kale
  
• Leeks/Poireaux
• Mushrooms/Champignons
• Parsnip/Panais
• Pumpkins/Potirons
• Radishes/Radis
• Rutabagas/Suédois
• Shallots/Échalotes
• Shelling beans/Haricots
• Turnip/Navet
• Winter squash (acorn, butternut, spaghetti)/Courge d’hiver (gland, butternut, spaghetti)
• Apples/Pommes
• Cranberries/Canneberges
• Figs/Figues
• Grapes/Raisins
• Kiwi/Kiwi
• Mirabelles/Mirabelles
• Pears/Poires
• Persimmons/Kakis
• Pomegranates/Grenades
• Prunes/Pruneau

Winter:

• Avocados/Avocats
• Beets/Betteraves
• Broccoli/Brocoli
• Brussels sprouts/Choux de Bruxelles
• Cabbage (green, napa, red, savoy)/Chou (vert, Napa, rouge, Savoie)
• Carrots/Carottes
• Cauliflower/Choufleur
• Chard/Bettes
• Fennel/Fenouil
• Green onions/Oignons verts
• Kale/Chou kale
• Parsnips/Panais
• Sweet potatoes/Patates douces
• Turnips/Navets
• Wild mushrooms/Champignons sauvages
• Winter squash (acorn, butternut, spaghetti)/Courge d’hiver (gland, butternut, spaghetti)
• Yams/Ignames
• Citrus (grapefruit, lemons, oranges, tangerines)/Agrumes (pamplemousses, citrons, oranges, mandarines/clémentines)
• Dates/Dattes
• Pears/Poires