British seasonal food in June – what to eat now
As the weather becomes more summery, British seasonal food in June starts to become more varied and colourful. Look out for fresh homegrown berries, salads, peas and beans. There are also some interesting seasonal imports if you can get hold of them at the moment.
Here’s the big list of what’s most likely to be best to buy, or pick from your garden or allotment, this month.
Fruit in season in June
This is the month that British seasonal fruits start to become more abundant. There’s plenty to tuck into from our own shores, plus some delicious imported treats.
Home grown British fruit in June
- blackcurrants
- cherries
- gooseberries
- raspberries
- redcurrants
- rhubarb
- strawberries
- tayberries
Best imported seasonal fruit this month
- apricots
- melons (Charentais, cantaloupe, galia)
- honey mangoes
- nectarines
- peaches
Recommended seasonal fruit & preserves books
Vegetables in season in June
There’s so much to choose from at this time of year:
- asparagus
- beetroot
- broad beans
- broccoli (calabrese)
- carrots
- chard
- courgettes (baby, flowers)
- cucumber,
- fennel (Florence)
- globe artichokes
- green beans (French and runner)
- lettuce and other salad leaves
- mangetout
- new potatoes (including last Jersey Royals)
- onions (first new season)
- peas
- radishes
- spinach
- spring onions
- summer cabbages
- tomatoes
- turnips
- watercress
[Available most months in good condition: button mushrooms, carrots, cauliflower, maincrop potatoes, onions, rocket.]
Recommended seasonal veg books & box delivery
Herbs in season in June
- basil
- chervil
- chives
- coriander
- fennel
- lovage
- marjoram
- mint
- oregano
- parsley
- rosemary
- sage
- sorrel
- summer savory
- tarragon
- thyme
[Always available: chives, coriander and parsley grown under cover; older leaves of hardy perennials like bay, rosemary, sage, thyme.]
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Wild / foraged UK food in June
These are the two main tasty treats this month:
- elderflowers
- samphire (rock)
[Take great care when foraging as it’s easy to confuse edible and poisonous ingredients.]
Recommended foraging & wild food books
Fish in season in June
Seasonal fish varies greatly around the UK, and from one year to the next, but here’s a rough guide to what’s on sale fresh this June.
The seas are slightly warmer as summer starts to roll in, meaning most flatfish and shellfish are heading off the menu, but there’s still plenty to try.
Sustainable fish this month
- coley / saithe
- crab (brown / edible)
- flounder
- halibut (farmed)
- mussels (farmed)
- plaice
- pollock
- pouting / bib, prawns (northern)
- rainbow trout (farmed)
- turbot (farmed)
[To the best of my knowledge, the list above excludes critically endangered fish. Visit The Good Fish Guide from the Marine Conservation Society to check their latest lists.]
Fish in June, less sustainable
You should be able to find most of these via a responsible fishmonger too:
- brown shrimp
- whitebait
- whiting
- wild halibut (best to avoid completely)
- wild salmon
- wild seabream
[In good condition almost all year: farmed clams, farmed halibut, herring, farmed seabream and turbot, megrim sole, sustainably-fished monkfish, rope-grown mussels, prawns.]
Recommended fish & shellfish books
Meat, poultry & game in season in June
Okay, it’s not the busiest month for these ingredients, but this ingredient is at its best:
- lamb
[Always available in good condition: beef, chicken, pork, rabbit, farmed venison, wood pigeon.]
Recommended meat, poultry & game books
Cheese in season in June
British-made cheeses in June
- farmhouse Cheddar
- ewe’s milk cheeses
- fresh goat cheeses
- Stinking Bishop
Imported seasonal cheese
- Camembert
[Many quality mature cheeses are available year-round, especially hard cheeses.]
Recommended cheese & wine books & delivery
Enjoying this guide? You may also like:
- British seasonal food in May
- British seasonal food in July
- What to sow & do in a June kitchen garden
- Top summer supermarket wines under £5 & £10
What we’re eating at Golightly Gardens
We’ve treated ourselves to some asparagus and Jersey Royals, and a couple of punnets of berries, to make the most of what’s around right now. On a thriftier note, our kitchen garden is now turning out plenty of different lettuce leaves, radishes and the occasional tiny spring onion, so it’s side salad time.
This month we’ve also decided to do a cheeseboard evening, and it will probably be a fresh goat cheese, some Stinking Bishop, and a little bit of Camembert.
Recommended general seasonal inspiration books
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Do you have any seasonal favourites that you’re looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments box below.
