A crisp juicy apple in the fall, a juicy peach in early summer, and the sweetness of just picked corn. Is there anything more delicious than eating seasonal fruits and vegetables?
With each new season the anticipation of the fruits and vegetables that will be in season is something to look forward to. Trips to the farmer’s market to browse the stands of what’s in season during the warm months and preparing recipes that just don’t taste the same any other time of year. That’s seasonal eating!
Benefits of Seasonal Eating
- Food is easier to grow in season, making it more abundant and less time-intensive.
- When produce is in season, the relative abundance of the crop usually makes it less expensive.
- Seasonal fruits and vegetables that are picked at the peak of ripeness taste better. The flavors are stronger and more developed and the textures are as they were meant to be. A ripe juicy red tomato in June and July tastes so much better than a tomato in December.
- Eating seasonally is better for the environment. Seaonsal fruits and vegetables require minimal human assistance such as pesticides and genetic modification which can strip the soil of nutrients and contaminate the water and soil along with our health.
- Seasonal produce is often grown locally. Knowing who is growing your food and where it’s coming from can make you feel more connected to the whole process while strengthening your community.
- Embracing the cycle of nature helps simplify our lives and makes us more appreciative of the beauty around us.
- Eating seasonally gives you something to look forward to each season. Think of the anticipation when delicious ripe strawberries will be in season.
- Reduce your carbon foot print when you buy seasonal produce that hasn’t been transported long distances.
- Eating seasonally reminds us of the joy of simplicity. The simple joys of apple picking in the fall, slicing a juicy tomato and picking ripe strawberries in the summer.
- We love farmer’s markets. Spending time outside and shopping among the wide variety of vibrant colors and fresh smells makes grocery shopping a pleasure.
What’s in season?
Winter
- Bananas
- Grapefruit
- Lemons
- Mushrooms
- Onions and Leeks
- Oranges
- Pears
- Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes and Yams
- Turnips
- Winter Squash
Spring
- Apricots
- Bananas
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Green Beans
- Honeydew Melon
- Lettuce
- Mangos
- Mushrooms
- Onions and Leeks
- Peas
- Pineapple
- Rhubarb
- Spinach
- Strawberries
Summer
- Apricots
- Bananas
- Beets
- Bell Peppers
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Cherries
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Garlic
- Grapefruit
- Grapes
- Green Beans
- Honeydew Melon
- Kiwi Fruit
- Lima Beans
- Mushrooms
- Peaches
- Peas
- Plums
- Radishes
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Summer Squash
- Zucchini
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
Fall
- Apples
- Bananas
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Cranberries
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Grapes
- Mushrooms
- Parsnips
- Pears
- Pineapple
- Pumpkins
- Sweet Potatoes and Yams
- Winter Squash
For convenient shopping and menu planning, download the Seasonal Fruits and Seasonal Veggies charts.
Sources: United States Department of Agriculture, CUESA
I would love to chat:
Do you eat seasonally? Do you enjoy shopping at farmer’s markets? What are your favorite spring fruits and vegetables?
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i dont eat as seasonally as i should. i need to get down to our farmer’s market this year and check it out!
Here in New England, the only time seasonal produce is grown is the summer because nothing grows in the winter. It’s all imported in the winter around here.
Thanks for this…I live in an area with many farm stands and food co-op opportunities and I don’t take full advantages of seasonal eating. These pointers will help tremendously when family meal planning. Time to try some new recipes and foods!
Good for you and the environment. There are a couple restaurants around here that prepare foods using only local, seasonal produce. I love the whole concept.
I am so looking forward to all the summer fruits coming out! The strawberries are just starting to be good again yum!
Thank you so much for the chart. I love seasonal eating and can’t wait for the berries to be back in season. It is important as well to be aware of our carbon footprint. So important. Great post.
I’m happy to see my favorite fruit, the banana, makes is all year round! Great post, Jill! Definitely something we should all be aware of and try to do. 🙂
This is a good post for me to show the hubs to convince him we need to sign up for the CSA this year! In New England so much is imported in the winter that I love to support local farms in the summer and fall so that we get some great produce!!
What would we do with that faithful banana? I always look forward to when grapes are in season!
What a great post 🙂 I do my best to eat seasonally, because of all the reasons you’ve listed. Let’s work to show others the value of this!
Love eating seasonal fruits and veggies. Summer is my favorite season for this, but I also like fall. I have Michael Symon’s cookbook that has recipes for each season and its my go-to cookbook!
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I need to work on eating more seasonal fruits and vegetables. We seem to buy the same things year round so we’re probably eating a lot of chemicals or buy produce that comes from distant places. Thanks for sharing the charts – such a good resource!
The charts are awesome. We’ve kinda made up our own charts that flow with our Farmer’s Market over the past four years. We are looking forward to having them start back up again!
I never thought about eating fruits only during certain seasons. I figured it they’re at the grocery store they must be good haha. I know avocados just got released and we are constantly making guacamole in the house. Great post xx felinebykatsaris.com
I do love seasonal eating not going to lie especially pumpkins in autumn and strawberries in summer although to be honest I could have them all year round. Girl likes everything!
Seasonal eating is the best, because I always feel like what I’m consuming is super fresh! There is nothing better 🙂
We do try to eat at farmers markets. There are always some good fresh finds.
I love seasonal eating! Especially when it comes from my own garden. I wish I lived where I could have multiple growing seasons in a year.
Seasonal food based on seasonal veggie and fruit is always the best! And I love it! You give a great idea through the seasonal chart. It’s good to know what fruit and veggie are in season.
I have never tried seasonal eating but your post definitely made me think and consider of starting to do so. I am into all kinds of veggies and fruits and if it is beneficial, I am definitely up for it.
I don’t know why my first post won’t go through but I am trying again. xx
I totally agree with your idea of seasonal eating and I try to avoid eating watermelons early summer. I think they can do so much harm and don’t taste that good
There are lots of tailgate markets in the spring/summer/fall in Asheville! I try to stop at them before the store. I also grow my own product in the summer 🙂
Eating seasonally helps us get all different nutrients we need. We love to go to our local farmers markets. A super kid friendly event and my kids can meet the people who grow their food!
This article makes me SO happy! I love eating seasonal produce. I actually work for a grocery chain and we are really working to share with our audience who wonderful it is to eat seasonal and LOCAL. I’m glad other people are sharing its benefits.
Awesome reasons! I’m all for the cost effectiveness. It’s one of the main reasons we eat seasonal. If you’ve ever had a strawberry out of season right after eating them in season, you’ll avoid strawberries for 10 months of the year. Lol. I can’t do strawberries out of season anymore!
I love going to our farmer’s market to see what they have, and to see what’s inexpensive. Spring and summer are so great for fresh fruits and vegetables!
I love eating seasonally! We live in Maine, and surprisingly there are some amazing offerings all year, which you wouldn’t expect. I am looking forward to spring lettuce and rhubarb right now!
I never even knew what seasonal eating was until I moved to WNY! I live near farm country so omg… Eating in season is the absolute best!
I try to buy seasonal when ever possible.
I also grow what I can.
But working in a supermarket, it’s amazing the amount of people that buy things that are not in season.
I had one lady complain (last year) about paying $2.50 for 1 peach. It was the middle of winter, and I told her, that they weren’t in season and they were imported from America. She didn’t care about that, all she cared about was the price. Well what do you expect when really you are paying for the travel km.
I have also found that your body naturally craves different foods when the season changes. Warmer days I love salad, colder days, I love soup.
I always eat foods seasonally. It’s a great way to eat plus a great way to shop! There’s a great cookbook by Michael Symon that is all about cooking by season
I try to eat fruit only when in season. It does make it so much less expensive.