Most Kiwis won't need much convincing but for anyone doubting whether last summer was a dud, supermarket sales figures prove it was.
It seems fewer of us were sunning ourselves at the beach during summer break, with Countdown sales of sunblock and ice cream both down by about 5 per cent between December 2016 and February compared with previous years.
After-sun care sales dropped by 38 per cent.
In what perhaps points to a silver lining with the wet weather, insect repellents and fly spray sales were also down by 27 and 30 per cent, respectively.
But the chilly weather brought with it coughs and colds: cold and flu remedy sales increased by more than 27 per cent in the so-called summer months.
Sales of hearty winter fare like canned soup, pork roast and red wine were up by as much as 15 per cent.
Based on data from Countdown supermarkets between December 2016 and February 2017. NZ Herald graphic
Summer barely arrived for many parts of the country with Wellington getting the worst of it, rattled by the strongest winds in 14 years and almost breaking the record for lowest sunshine hours.
Called an "absolute reversal" of the seemingly never-ending summer of 2015/16 by MetService meteorologist Georgina Griffiths, the bummer summer saw lower temperatures and stormy, unsettled weather over much of the country.
Countdown's merchandise manager Chris Fisher said the weather significantly changed patterns of some products, as well as having an ongoing effect on fresh produce.
"Not only have Kiwis not had enough sunshine hours this summer, but neither have some of our growers around the country which is obviously affecting produce supply right now as well," he said.
April showers bringing rainfall well above average to most of the North Island and parts of the South have also affected grower's ability to produce some crops, in particular leafy greens.
"There's really only one thing left to do and that's embrace the winter and pull out the slow cookers."
Fisher recommended customers shop for seasonal food and design meals around traditional winter veges such as carrots, potatoes, parsnip, pumpkin and brussels sprouts.
"There is life after salads and barbecues.
"April through to September is the biggest period for soup sales in New Zealand.
"Last year, Kiwis consumed 7.8 tonnes of soup, the equivalent of 3120 bags of potatoes."
Countdown had dropped the price of more than 100 soups for the entire soup season, he said.
"Other alternatives to leafy produce are to buy frozen vegetables particularly if you want to add them to curries, soups or stews."
Foodstuffs, which owns New world and Pak'n Save, has been approached for comment.
