An Aussie Christmas without prawns is like a margarita without salt – it’s just not the same. Luckily for us, there’s a positive to the record rainfall we’ve been seeing across the east coast of Australia.

So, what exactly is the upside to La Niña, we hear you ask. The answer? A bumper prawn season.

“Prawns rely on rainfall on the land to source their food, and the heavy rainfall we’ve experienced across the east coast has flushed high levels of nutrients into their environment,” says Sydney Fish Market tour guide and resident seafood expert Alex Stollznow. According to Stollznow, the heavy rain will result in juicer and tastier prawns.

Related story: 62 sensational ways with seafood for Christmas

Each year, 40 per cent of Australian prawn consumption happens over the Christmas period. So, when the Sydney Fish Market opens its doors for its 36-hour seafood marathon (from 5am 23rd December to 5pm Christmas Eve), over 130 tonnes of prawns are expected to be sold.

Which can only mean one thing for those donning an apron during the festive season – it’s time to get shellfish.

Start by bringing back the good old prawn cocktail, but let that just be the beginning – salt and pepper prawns are always a crowd pleaser and our favourite crustaceans also make a pretty mean salad.

And if you feel like you’re prawn to be wild, it’s definitely worth starting your day with this stellar recipe for prawns on toast (with a distinctly Aussie twist).

There’s more good news too. Having a prawn feast this year won’t break the bank. “If pricing is a key consideration for you, consider choosing a species like the school prawn, which will offer the same great taste for a more competitive price,” advises Stollznow.

Little school prawns are some of the sweetest shrimps around and because they’re so petite, you can use them in just about any dish you can think of. And having an abundance of fresh prawns on your table over the next few months can only mean one thing – you’re krilling it.

Related gallery: 75 prawn recipes that are shrimply the best