As summer turns to early autumn, it’s a critical harvest time across Europe. Fields, orchards, and gardens overflow with fruits and vegetables in every colour. Autumn is a season for slowing down, getting cosy, and celebrating the year’s hard work.
In early autumn (September to early October), shelves and market stalls are filled with seasonal products like leafy greens, bright pumpkins, and earthy beetroots.1 At this time of year, you might save out-of-season foods like strawberries for a special occasion, choosing more crisp apples, plump figs and sweet grapes that autumn does so well.1
Eating seasonally doesn’t mean giving up any of your favourite foods. It’s more about choosing to enjoy them when they’re naturally at their best.
In this guide, we’ll explore what’s in season in early autumn, how it varies across Europe’s different climates, and why seasonal eating is beneficial for both our health and the planet.
What’s in season in early autumn?
Europe encompasses a range of climate zones, including Mediterranean, oceanic, and temperate. This means that the exact timing of seasonal crops can vary across European countries. For example, grapes might already be in full harvest in Italy while they’re still ripening in parts of Germany; pumpkins may be ready in southern France weeks before they are in Scotland.2 You get the picture.
However, exact timing aside, there are some fruits and vegetables you’ll find in season across much of Europe in early autumn. They are:
Carrots, beets, and other root vegetables
These are the seasonal fruits and vegetables you can grab pretty confidently at the market or supermarket from September to October if you live in Europe.
Did you know? Fresh produce, whether eaten straight away or frozen for later, is one of the cornerstones of good health. Fresh produce, like fruit and vegetables, is high in fibre, vitamins, and minerals, and plays a vital role in preventing chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. It also supports mental well-being, helping us feel more energetic, balanced, and resilient. The more of it we eat, and the fewer ultra-processed foods we rely on, the better we tend to feel and function.3
What about in your region?
A great way to find out what’s in season near you is to visit your local farmers’ markets or sign up for a vegetable delivery box from a nearby farm. It’s a fun way to discover new veggies and support local growers at the same time.
Or, print out a seasonal vegetable guide for your country and stick it on your fridge. It might be a low-tech solution, but it’s a handy reminder when you’re planning meals or making your shopping list. Plus, it can give you fresh ideas for your home-cooked recipes.
The image below gives a snapshot of early autumn’s seasonal produce across Europe.
Many countries span more than one climate zone. That means seasonality can vary even within the same nation. For example, northern France has a cooler, oceanic climate with milder summers and wetter winters, while southern France enjoys a warmer, Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers.4 Because of this, the region’s harvest calendars are quite different.
Getting the most out of the early autumn harvest
Once you’ve filled your basket with delicious seasonal produce, you want to get the most health benefits out of it as possible. Here are some quick tips to help:
Why seasonal eating matters
Now that you know which veggies are in season in early autumn, you might be wondering: why should I bother eating them? Well, there are lots of great reasons to enjoy seasonal food. Let’s take a closer look:
1. Health benefits. Eating seasonal food means eating fruits and vegetables when they are naturally ready to be picked. When food is picked at the right time and eaten soon after, it has more vitamins and nutrients that help keep us healthy.8
2. Fresh and delicious. Many fruits and vegetables, such as apples, carrots, and potatoes, can last up to a year in a fridge before we buy them. During this time, they often lose flavour and nutrients. That’s why it’s a good idea to enjoy these foods fresh and in season, when they’re at their tastiest.
3. Creative cooking. Because the kinds of food we can eat change with the seasons, seasonal eating helps us try lots of different fruits and vegetables throughout the year. This means we don’t eat the same things all the time, and it can make cooking more fun and creative.
4. Helping local farmers. Buying seasonal food supports local producers and helps farmers in your community make a living.9 It also means we get to connect with the land around us and with the people who grow our food, which feels good and helps build strong communities.
5. Saving money. Seasonal food is often cheaper because it’s grown in large amounts at the right time and doesn’t need to be stored for a long time or sent from far away.10 This abundance makes seasonal food more affordable.
6. Helping the environment. Eating food that’s in season usually means less energy and water is used, which is better for the environment.11 This is because farmers don’t have to heat a greenhouse when the sun is shining, and they don’t have to use as much water when there’s plenty of rain.
Seasonal eating is a powerful first step
Eating with the seasons is a wonderful way to reconnect with where your food comes from and to make more mindful choices about what’s on your plate. But on its own, it can’t solve all the big environmental challenges linked to our diets.
Many studies show that what you eat often matters more than whether it’s local or seasonal. Shifting towards more grains, fresh fruits and vegetables while reducing meat and dairy can dramatically cut your carbon footprint, land use, and water use.12 However, seasonal and local produce is a valuable part of this picture, and a great first step towards eating sustainably.
Seasonal vs. local: what’s the difference?
Seasonal and local eating are both great things to get involved in. They are slightly different things:
Seasonal eating means choosing foods when they are naturally ready to harvest in their growing season, like tomatoes in summer or pumpkins in autumn.
Local eating means choosing foods grown close to where you live, usually within your region or country.
These two ideas often overlap, but not always.
For example, apples are in season in Europe in early autumn. If someone in France buys a European apple in autumn, it’s both local and seasonal.
But fresh pineapples might be in season in Costa Rica while it’s winter in Europe. Eating Costa Rican pineapples in France in winter would still be seasonal eating, but not local eating.
Seasonal eating in colder climates
In northern parts of Europe, like Finland, fresh produce options are limited during the autumn and winter months. But that doesn’t mean you have to go without fruit and vegetables until spring arrives. Here are a couple of ways to keep fresh, nutritious food in your diet even in colder climates:
- Frozen fruits and vegetables are usually picked at their peak ripeness when they’re in season and then quickly flash-frozen. This means they keep most of their vitamins and minerals.13 This makes frozen vegetables from supermarkets a good swap.
- You can also freeze seasonal produce yourself — whether from the shops or your garden — during summer and early autumn, so you have plenty ready to enjoy later. Find out how here.
Both of these methods help make sure you have a steady supply of fibre-rich, nutrient-packed foods all year round, which is important for keeping both your body and mind healthy.
Cultural traditions rooted in the autumn harvest
Sauerkraut season (Central and Eastern Europe)
In Central and Eastern Europe, September is the cabbage-fermenting season.14 Kitchens and cellars fill with the tangy scent of future sauerkraut — a tasty, gut-friendly way to store cabbage for the whole winter.15 All you need is cabbage, salt, and a clean jar. In many households, the recipe is passed down through generations.
Onion and garlic braids (rural Europe)
Plaiting onions and garlic into long braids is a practical tradition still found in many rural areas. The braids are hung in kitchens or barns, allowing air to circulate so the bulbs last longer.16 They’re beautiful as well as functional, often hanging like natural decorations above a kitchen doorway.
Autumn pies and tarts (across Europe)
In many countries, early autumn apples and pears are turned into comforting pies, tarts, and galettes. In France, the tarte Tatin is a caramelised apple classic, while in Austria, apfelstrudel fills kitchens with the scent of cinnamon. These recipes were originally a way to make the most of fresh orchard fruit before it spoiled.
Halloween lanterns (Ireland, Scotland, and beyond)
One of the most familiar sights of autumn is children showing off their carved pumpkin faces — some hilariously lopsided, while others are intricate works of art. In Ireland and Scotland, Halloween lanterns were once carved from turnips or swedes. In parts of Germany and France, beets or potatoes were also carved, making use of whatever local vegetables were available.17 These lanterns weren’t just decorations; they were believed to protect homes and guide wandering spirits.
Irish immigrants brought the tradition to America, where pumpkins took centre stage because they were larger and easier to carve.18
Sustainability tip: After Halloween, don’t toss your pumpkin in the bin! Compost it to nourish the soil or feed small raw pieces to wildlife such as birds and squirrels. Avoid mouldy parts and cut into manageable chunks.19
It’s about progress, not perfection.
Early autumn is a season made for slowing down and savouring the comforting fresh produce available right now. From sweet apple pie to earthy pumpkin soup or tangy homemade sauerkraut, getting more of autumn’s harvest on your plate can boost your health, inspire creativity in the kitchen, and support local farmers.
What you eat matters just as much as when you eat it, so pairing early autumn produce with whole grains, protein-rich legumes, and other colourful vegetables will have the greatest impact on your health and the planet. If it ever starts to feel like a chore, take it slow and simple. Choosing one meal a week and making sure the vegetables on your plate are local and seasonal is a brilliant first step towards delicious, nutritious, and sustainable eating.
