Seasonal Cooking Challenge
Join me, as I cook with seasonal ingredients and share tips to help you make the most of what’s in season.
Cooking with seasonal food just makes sense. It tastes better, costs less, and supports more sustainable choices. Each month I feature a Canadian ingredient at its best, with real tips for selecting, storing and using it up so nothing goes to waste.
Are you in?
Scroll down for this month’s featured ingredient and everything you need to make the most of it.
Join In
Follow and cook along!
Each month, I choose a seasonal produce and share helpful tips for how to select, store and save that produce so you can enjoy it to the fullest. And of course, I’ll share tasty recipes too!
The goal is simple:
- Explore seasonal ingredients.
- Share favourite ideas and variations.
- Build confidence in the kitchen.
- Have fun cooking through the seasons together.
The Produce of the Month
Tomato season is here, the time of year Canadians wait for with anticipation of that first toasted tomato sandwich from the garden. It’s also the time of year many of us end up with more tomatoes than we know what to do with. This month I’m sharing a few garden tips, how to store tomatoes to keep them fresh a little longer, and what to do when your counter is full and you’re short on time.
In Partnership With
I’m truly grateful to partner with Canadian Food Focus and Love Food Hate Waste Canada to bring the Seasonal Cooking Challenge to life.
I have deep respect for the work of these organizations and for the people behind them. Their passion for Canadian food, farmers, consumers and families is something I’ve experienced firsthand. It’s why I’m proud to work with them to share the full food journey, from understanding how food is grown and raised, to choosing seasonal produce, cooking it confidently and using it up so nothing goes to waste.
Tomato Resources to Get You Started
From Canadian Food Focus
- What’s in Season? Tomatoes (Field and Greenhouse) — when to buy field vs. greenhouse tomatoes and how to tell them apart
- 3 Fabulous Ways to Enjoy Tomatoes — simple ways to put a ripe tomato to good use
From Love Food Hate Waste Canada
- Best Ways to Store and Use Tomatoes — keep them fresh longer, and what to do once they start to soften
- 5 Ways with Tomatoes — five quick ideas for using up what’s on your counter
From Getty
- How to Store and Preserve Garden Tomatoes — what to do with a garden full of tomatoes, especially once frost is in the forecast
- Canning Tomatoes Safely — a trusted, tested method for putting up a batch for winter
Past Featured Ingredients
Thank you to all participants who entered our previous draws. We are currently not running any more draws.
- July: Berries
- Draw Winner: Stephanie Dmyterko from Winnipeg, MB. Stephanie made good use of fresh picked saskatoons and raspberries. She made saskatoon grunt, lemon saskatoon scones, raspberry white chocolate chip scones and raspberry chocolate chip cookies.
- June: Leafy Greens (Lettuce Month)
- Draw Winner: Donna F. of Winnipeg, MB. She used living lettuce with canned salmon on a sandwich. Sounds like a nutritious, delicious lunch. And with the living lettuce, Donna can go back to that lettuce for many more sandwiches!
- May: Asparagus
- Draw Winner: Sujata D. from Thornhill, ON. I think it’s awesome that Sujata starts her morning with a side of sautéed asparagus. Why not? It’s quick, it’s full of nutrients and it’s delicious. You simply cannot go wrong with fresh, seasonal veggies.
- April: Cucumbers
- Draw Winner: Janet F. from Bridgewater, NS. Janet made a lentil salad with cucumbers – just one of many salads she likes to made with cucumbers in April. I love the sound of a hearty, fibre rich salad like that!
- March: Onions
- Draw Winner: Jeannette S. from Sherwood Park, AB. Jeannette made French Onion Sourdough Bread to go with her French Onion Soup with maple syrup. Sounds so good
- February: Cabbage
- Draw Winner: Lorraine G. from Oakbank, Manitoba. Lorraine used a bag of coleslaw mix and noodles to create her own version of this One Pan Egg Roll recipe.
- January: Oranges/Citrus
- Draw Winner: Tressa A. from Winnipeg. Tressa used oranges and grapefruit for a variation of the orange salad with mint. Way to go Tressa!
I’m here for you. Please message or email me if you have questions or if there’s a produce tip or recipe you’d like to see featured.
Cook with the seasons, effortlessly! I’m Getty, a food educator and Professional Home Economist, helping you select, store, and serve seasonal ingredients in delicious, simple, everyday meals. Sign up for seasonal tips and recipes delivered straight to your inbox, and dive deeper with my books, guides, or YouTube content.