What Fruits and Veggies are in Season?…

I always stress when it comes to food that we need to do three things: eat whole foods, eat organic foods, and eat in-season fruits and veggies.

Think about it… 100 years ago if you wanted a tomato in the winter what did you do? Nothing. The only foods that were available were the ones that were in season. There were no genetically-modified tomatoes that could be purchased year round. We have such a disconnect with our foods because of the modern farmers and the grocery stores that they supply.

How do you know what foods are in season if your local grocery store has it year round?…  Visit the farmer’s market. They will only have in-season foods. Or you can take this list to your grocery store to help you out…

Fruits and Vegetables in-season… month-by-month

January (winter)

• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Grapefruit
• Leeks
• Lemons
• Oranges
• Papaya
• Tangelos
• Tangerines

February (winter)

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Grapefruit
• Lemons
• Oranges
• Papayas
• Tangelos

March (late winter/early spring)

• Broccoli
• Lettuce
• Mangoes
• Pineapple

April (spring)

• Artichoke
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Lettuce
• Mangoes
• Pineapple
• Rhubarb
• Spring peas
• Zucchini

May (spring)

• Apricot
• Artichoke
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cherries
• Lettuce
• Okra
• Pineapple
• Rhubarb
• Spring peas
• Zucchini

June (late spring/ early summer)

• Apricots
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Cherries
• Corn
• Lettuce
• Peaches
• Strawberries
• Watermelon

July (summer)

• Apricots
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Corn
• Cucumbers
• Green beans
• Kiwi
• Lettuce
• Peaches
• Plums
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Summer squash
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon

August (summer)

• Apricots
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Corn
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Green beans
• Kiwi
• Lettuce
• Peaches
• Plums
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Summer squash
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon

September (late summer/early fall)

• Apples
• Eggplants
• Grapes
• Lettuce
• Persimmon
• Pomegranate
• Pumpkins
• Spinach
• Tomatoes

October (fall)

• Apples
• Broccoli
• Cranberries
• Grapes
• Lettuce
• Pomegranate
• Pumpkins
• Spinach
• Sweet potatoes
• Winter squash

November (late fall/early winter)

• Apples
• Broccoli
• Cranberries
• Mushrooms
• Oranges
• Pears
• Persimmon
• Pomegranate
• Pumpkins
• Spinach
• Sweet potatoes
• Tangerines
• Winter squash

December (winter)

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cranberries
• Grape fruit
• Mushrooms
• Oranges
• Papayas
• Pears
• Pomegranate
• Sweet potatoes
• Tangelos
• Tangerines

For a season-by-season list, click here.

Buy local… If you make use of your local farmer’s market you will automatically be purchasing the in-season fruits and vegetables. Most local farms participate in CSA (community supported agriculture) programs that provide you with a monthly shipment of in-season fruits and veggies picked at the peak of the season. Visit www.localharvest.org to see where the local CSA can be found in your community! A monthly CSA box of fruits and veggies will diversify your diet, you will receive fresh foods that will send you to the recipe books looking for a way to incorporate it into your diet.

Start your own garden!… Any fruit or vegetable you can grow in your own yard is fresher than any you can buy, and it costs nothing but an hour or two of work each week plus the price of a few packs of seeds. “The health of growing food contributes to your health long  before you sit down to eat it, of course, but there is something particularly fitting about enlisting your body in its own sustenance.” ~Michael Pollan

With love,