Seasonal Nutrition: How the Seasons Change Our Plates

The association is based on the main ingredients and their seasonal availability according to the Northern Hemisphere calendar (Western Europe, North America). A gazpacho is linked to summer (tomates, cucumbers from June to September), a pot-au-feu to winter (root vegetables from November to March). Some versatile recipes are tagged for multiple seasons. This classification is indicative, not absolute.

On an individual level, the difference between a summer and winter recipe is moderate (averaging 50-150 kcal). But over a full week of seasonal meals, the cumulative difference can reach 500-1,000 kcal, justifying an adjustment of calorie goals based on the season.

Our recipe database primarily reflects European and North American culinary traditions, where the seasons are: spring (March-May), summer (June-August), autumn (September-November), and winter (December-February). If you live in the Southern Hemisphere — Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, Chile — simply reverse it: our "summer" corresponds to your winter (June-August = southern winter) and vice versa. Practically speaking: check out our winter recipes in July in Sydney, and our summer recipes in January in Buenos Aires. The nutritional profiles (higher calories in winter, lightness in summer) remain consistent as they follow seasonal logic, not the calendar.