Fresher, cheaper, tastier: a seasonal baby food guide

One of the best parts about making baby food at home? You start noticing the seasons in a whole new way.

Like when strawberries actually taste like strawberries again, or when winter carrots get sweeter and more intense in flavour. Or when the mangos become so, so ripe and juicy, you notice they practically mash themselves.

Every few months, there’s something new and fresh to enjoy and pick out for your baby. Because some fruits and veggies just shine brighter at certain times of the year, when they have more flavour, more nutrients, and usually a friendlier price tag too.

Here’s a quick guide to what’s best each season for your little one (and you), plus a few time-saving tricks and easy recipe ideas that’ll make the whole thing feel a little less like “meal prep” and a little more like tapping into the magic of the season. ✨

🌸 Spring (Sep–Nov): Fresh, green, and full of new flavours

Spring marks the return of tender greens and early berries. It bridges winter’s roots and summer’s fruits.

Best spring veggie:

Asparagus has a short, five-week window in early spring! Fresh stalks are sweet and delicate, perfect for steaming until soft, blending with potatoes, or serving as spears for babies to explore self-feeding.

Hidden gem: Peas are sweeter this season than at any other time of the year. Steam and mash/purée for baby. *Don’t serve whole peas to babies, as these can be a choking hazard.

Best spring fruit:

Strawberries bounce back in spring, and their flavour, fragrance, and accessibility peak around October, especially for southern states (Victoria, South Australia, parts of New South Wales). Mash or slice finely for baby’s first taste of summer fruit.

Hidden gem: Blueberries’ first flush appears mid-spring. Mild and antioxidant-rich, they are great puréed or turned into a baby-safe smoothie with some yoghurt.

Seasonal hacks:

Mix peas, spinach, or zucchini into purées for a spring green colour boost.
Early mangoes begin appearing by late spring, which is great for transitioning to summer flavours.
As the weather warms, prep smaller batches of baby food at a time to reduce spoilage; refrigerate excess promptly.

☀️ Summer (Dec–Feb): Juicy, bright, and cooling

Summer produce bursts with colour and hydration: think mangoes, melons, stone fruits, tomatoes, and corn. These are perfect as frozen treats or quick-and-easy baby meals.

Best summer veggie:

Not quite a veggie but close enough! Sweet corn hits its stride in late summer, when kernels are plump and sugary. Steam until very soft, set aside to cool, and serve on the cob for baby’s small hands. *Do not serve corn kernels unless puréed, as the whole kernels are a choking hazard.

Hidden gem: Zucchini grows quickly in the summer heat and stays tender. After steaming, it pairs flavourfully with fruit purées for added veggie goodness.
Hidden gem: Tomatoes are naturally sweeter and juicier under long summer sun, ideal for blending into baby-safe smoothies, sauces, or soups.

Best summer fruit:

Mangoes are at their most flavourful and affordable from December through February, especially up north. Their velvety texture is ideal for baby purées, and their sweetness is perfect for chilled smoothies.

Hidden gem: Watermelon provides peak hydration and mild sweetness in summer. Be sure to remove all seeds, purée or chop appropriately, and supervise little ones while they’re eating.
Hidden gem: Stone fruits (peach, nectarine, plum) are at their juiciest and cheapest this season; full of vitamins A and C, easy to mash or purée.

Seasonal hacks:

Blend chilled fruits like watermelon, peach, or banana for sweet summer smoothies. Serve to baby in mess-free pouches like the SiliSqueeze Pouch.
In hot weather, cool purées quickly and refrigerate within an hour.
A spoonful of unsweetened yoghurt adds protein to cold smoothies and purées.
Use the Chill’n’Chew Feeder and Tray duo to serve chilled, baby-safe treats during warmer days.

🍂 Autumn (Mar–May): Comforting, golden, and hearty

As the weather cools, markets fill with earthy vegetables and crisp orchard fruits: pumpkin, sweet potato, apples, pears, and persimmons. These are our top picks of the season.

Best autumn veggie:

Hearty, starchy produce like pumpkin and sweet potato are autumn staples, rich in beta-carotene and natural sweetness. Roasting brings out their depth of flavour, perfect for a creamy mash.

Hidden gem: Spinach grows best in mild conditions, between winter and summer. Autumn spinach is vibrantly green, tender, and less bitter. Add to purées for a nutritional boost.
Hidden gem: Autumn is peak mushroom season in Australia; steam and add to purées to introduce your baby to the taste of umami. *Do not serve foraged mushrooms for safety, and prepare mushrooms appropriately by cooking thoroughly, then puréeing or chopping finely.

Best autumn fruit:

Persimmons appear in April and are often overlooked. When fully ripe, their jelly-soft texture and honey-sweet flavour make them a perfect natural dessert for babies. Wait until the flesh is very soft and scoopable before serving to baby.

Hidden gem: Perhaps not so hidden, but autumn harvests of apples and pears are sweeter and crisper, and make for purées rich in fibre.
Hidden gem: Shepard avocados in autumn are milder than their Hass counterparts, and don’t brown as quickly. For a boost of healthy fats and mild flavour.

Seasonal hacks:

Batch-cook purées and freeze portions; autumn veggies store beautifully.
Combine fruits and veggies (like pumpkin + pear) for new flavours.
Introduce baby to autumn flavours through baby-safe versions of fall favourites, like this recipe for Sweet Potato Smoothie.

❄️ Winter (Jun–Aug): Sweet, slow, and nourishing

Cold weather brings smaller, sweeter root vegetables and vitamin-rich citrus. Think carrots, parsnips, potatoes, broccoli, mandarins, and kiwifruit.

Best winter veggie:

Carrots become noticeably sweeter in winter because cold temperatures boost their natural sugars. Roast or steam for a naturally caramelised purée that needs no seasoning.

Hidden gem: Parsnips share this trait with carrots and develop extra sugars after frost. They also pair beautifully with apples or pumpkins.
Hidden gem: The pumpkins you bought in autumn? They store well and transform in the winter, deepening and peaking in their flavour. Buy them in autumn for your winter stock.
Hidden gem: Brassicas such as cauliflower, broccoli, and brussels sprouts turn sweeter and develop deeper flavours in winter as a response to the cold. Perfect for roasting/steaming, and blending into warm winter purées.

Best winter fruit:

Mandarins and oranges are juiciest mid-winter. Their sweetness and vitamin C make them perfect as immunity boosters.

Hidden gem: Kiwifruit is abundant in winter, and similarly high in vitamin C for immunity. Mash with bananas and other sweet fruits.
Hidden gem: Custard apples are a tropical winter specialty in northern regions; soft, creamy texture and naturally sweet. *Make sure you remove all the seeds and mashing thoroughly before serving to baby.

Seasonal hacks:

Blend winter purées with pantry staples like oats and lentils for extra iron and fibre.
Reheat baby food until steaming hot, then cool to baby-safe temperatures and serve. Winter kitchens often fool you into thinking food is warmer than it is.
For younger babies, offer de-membraned segments of oranges or mandarins, or stir a splash of fresh juice into chicken or veggie purées for brightness of flavour.

Eating with the seasons just makes everything taste better, fresher, and keeps the baby food rotation more interesting and varied. Might even help you dodge a few fussy-eater phases down the road!

A good way to think of it is like this: sweeter in winter, bright in summer, earthy in autumn, and fresh in spring. Each season gives its magic to certain kinds of food. 🤍🧡🤎💚

So lean into what’s naturally good right now. It keeps things simple, affordable, and genuinely delicious for both you and your baby.

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