Preserve Sydney autumn produce to save money

Buying your fresh produce when it’s in season means great value for money and enjoying fruit and vegetables when they’re at their peak of flavour. Why not take this one step further and preserve some of that delectable fresh produce so that you can enjoy it a little longer?

What’s in season right now

To make the most of seasonal produce, you need to familiarise yourself with what’s currently in season. Here are some of the best picks for autumn. 

Tracking down the freshest produce

The best place to buy fresh produce is often at your local market, because it’s grown for flavour, not longevity. Plus, markets are often frequented by the growers themselves, so you know exactly where your food is coming from. Here are two of the best ones in the Northern Districts area:

Hornsby Organic Food Market at Hornsby Mall

The Hornsby Organic Food Market is on every Thursday from 8.30am to around 2pm. Here you’ll find lots of fresh organic produce as well as a good range of gourmet foods.

DownTown Markets - 64 Yarrara Road, Pennant Hills

The recently launched DownTown Market is on every third Sunday of the month from 9am to 3pm. This market has fresh produce and gourmet foods as well as creations from local artisans.

Also, keep an eye on the specials at the local supermarket where you normally shop. This way you can stock up on cheap produce when it’s in season and preserve it for use throughout the rest of the year. Supermarkets are also getting better at selling off less-than-perfect looking fruit and veggies at lower prices. They may have a few marks, but they taste just as good. 

Some preserving recipes you might like to try

Now it’s time to preserve all of this fresh produce. Most easily, you can freeze a lot of fresh produce. For example, lemon and lime juice can be frozen in ice cube trays, and vegetables such as beans can be blanched and put into ziplock bags for freezing. If you want to get more creative, here are some recipes to try. 

Kimchi with cabbage

This kimchi recipe is a great way to preserve crunchy winter vegetables such as cabbage and carrots, and you can also throw in apples or cucumber. Mixed with ginger, garlic, spring onion, salt, sugar and fish sauce, sealed in a jar and left to ferment for a week or two, this homemade kimchi is an excellent source of probiotics and is delicious added to fried rice and spicy noodle soups. 

Preserved pears

Preserving your own pears is a great way to draw out autumn with some spiced pears in your winter porridge or desserts. This simple recipe preserves them in a light sugar syrup, so if you come across a box of them going cheap at the market, don’t hesitate!

Preserved capsicum and eggplant
Another easy way to bring out the best in veggies is preserving in oil. It works really well for things like capsicums and eggplants, and you can use the seasoned oil for salad dressings or over pasta.

Homemade quince paste and jelly (membrillo)
Quince has a fairly short season, but it’s worth picking up a few of these hard yellow fruits for this membrillo recipe, which gives you a delicious quince paste and a quince jelly. This goes well with a cheese platter or a charcuterie board alongside crackers or thin slices of rustic bread.

And, if you find you enjoy preserving, here’s a fantastic beginner's guide to preserving.

Are you thinking of selling this autumn or winter?

We have plenty of buyers looking for a home right now, so if you’re thinking about getting your home ready for market and want some tips or advice on what the market is doing, feel free to get in touch.