British seasonal food in December – what to eat now
There’s plenty of delicious British seasonal food to try in December, and as the year draws to a close there are many traditional dishes to enjoy. It’s time for a feast.
Look out for Brussels sprouts and parsnips on the festive table, apples for baking in crumbles and pies, and imported treats such as dates and clementines.
There’s also plenty of British turkey and game, some of the best fish and shellfish, and December’s Christmas cheeses for your cheeseboard.
British fruit in season in December
Nuts and imported seasonal fruits are the main stars here:
Home-grown fruit
- apples (including Bramley cooking apples)
- cranberries (a few, homegrown)
- medlars
- pears (from store)
- quinces
Best imported seasonal fruit
- clementines
- cranberries
- dates
- passion fruit
- pineapples (Caribbean)
- pomegranates
- easy peelers (satsumas, tangerines etc)
Nuts in season in December
- almonds (imported)
- hazelnuts (from store)
- sweet chestnuts (imported or from store)
- walnuts (from store)
Vegetables in season in December
Vegetables are mainly hearty roots and greens in December. Traditional Christmas tables vegetables include Brussels sprouts, parsnips and red cabbage.
- beetroot (stored)
- Brussels sprouts and sprout tops
- celeriac
- celery (white fenland)
- chard (grown under cover)
- chicory
- endive
- Jerusalem artichokes
- kale
- leeks
- pak choi (grown under cover)
- parsnips
- pumpkin and winter squash (from store)
- salsify
- scorzonera
- swedes
- turnips
- winter cabbage (Savoy, red, white)
- winter radish (stored)
- winter salad leaves (grown under cover)
[Available most months in good condition: button mushrooms, carrots, cauliflower, maincrop potatoes, onions, rocket.]
Recommended seasonal veg books & box delivery
Herbs in season in December
- thyme
- winter savory
[Always available: chives, coriander, parsley grown under cover; older leaves of hardy perennials like bay, rosemary, sage, thyme.]
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Wild / foraged food in season in December
The colder it gets, the harder it is to find foraged food, but you might still be lucky with these two ingredients.
- sloes
- wild mushrooms (winter chanterelles, truffle)
[Take great care when foraging as it’s very easy to confuse edible and poisonous ingredients.]
Recommended foraged & wild food books
Fish in season in December
December’s star ingredients are lobster and scallops, found nearer the coast. Although most fish will be in good condition at this time of year, the fishing boats are less likely to bring in as much catch due to cold weather, rough seas and shorter days.
Seasonal fish varies greatly around the UK, and from year to year, but here’s a rough guide to what’s on sale now and considered to be more sustainable.
British sustainable fish
- brill
- clams
- cockles
- coley / saithe
- crab (spider)
- dab
- flounder
- gurnard (grey & red)
- haddock
- hake
- halibut (farmed)
- herring
- mackerel
- monkfish
- mussels
- oysters
- pike
- plaice
- pollock
- pouting / bib
- prawns
- sole (Dover / common, lemon, Torbay / witch)
- sprat / whitebait
- trout
- wild turbot
[To the best of my knowledge, the list above excludes critically endangered fish. Visit The Good Fish Guide from the Marine Conservation Society for the latest lists which change regularly.]
Less sustainable December fish
You should still be able to find these if you use a responsible fishmonger:
- cod (line caught)
- cuttlefish
- langoustine / scampi
- lobster (native, pot-caught)
- scallops (King, hand dived)
- seabass (wild)
- seabream
- whelks
- whiting
[In good condition almost all year: herring, farmed sea bream and turbot, megrim sole, sustainably-fished monkfish, rope-grown mussels and prawns.]
Recommended seasonal fish & shellfish books
Meat, poultry and game in season in December
December is the month where the best quality breeds of turkey become available. For an alternative, try farmed goose, or guinea fowl.
Much of the game season is about to draw to a close, but there is plenty of venison available.
- capercaillie
- guinea fowl
- hare
- mallard
- partridge
- pheasant
- snipe
- teal
- turkey (best quality breeds)
- venison (red deer, fallow deer, sika deer, roe does)
- widgeon
- wild duck
- wild goose
- woodcock
- wood pigeon
[Always available in good condition: beef, chicken, pork, farmed venison, rabbit, pigeon.]
Recommended meat, game & poultry books
Cheese in season in December
A traditional Christmas cheese board usually includes some strong Cheddar (available most months), a Stilton or other quality blue cheese, and maybe something softer or more squidgy such as Brie or Camembert for contrast. Just add port and crackers!
British-made cheese in season
- Stilton
- Other blue cheeses (Blue Wensleydale, Stichelton etc)
- Baron Bigod (a UK brie-style cheese)
Imported December cheeses
- Munster d’Alsace
- Vacherin Mont d’Or
- Extra mature Comte and other Alpine cheeses
Many people like to buy some ripe French Camembert around this time of year too, to add to their cheese board (plus it matches well with cranberry sauce). Technically the cows will have been brought indoors and won’t be eating fresh grass, but there’s plenty of availability and it should still have a good flavour.
[Many quality mature cheeses are available year-round, particularly hard cheeses.]
Recommended cheese & wine books + delivery
Enjoyed this post? You may also like:
- British seasonal food in November
- British seasonal food in January
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- How to nail your Christmas prep in December
- All Christmas articles and gift guides
We love seasonal UK food in December!
Well now, ’tis the season for treats and feasts, and all the party snacks. I do also like the occasional quiet night in with a good book and a satsuma or two to snack on, or something healthy-ish like a winter vegetable gratin or some simple grilled fish.
We also like a celery, blue cheese, apple and walnut salad on nights when nobody feels like cooking. Winter salads are delicious and fresh, plus it’s a nice change from all the mince pies, crisps and chocolates.
We’ll be cracking out the sprouts, roast parsnips, spiced red cabbage and cranberry sauce on Christmas Day too. Throw in a few chestnuts roasting on an open fire and crack open the Baileys, and it’s all good.
Recommended seasonal inspiration (GREAT FOR GIFTS!)
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What will you be cooking and eating this December? Any seasonal food favourites you can’t miss? Let us know in the comments below.
