To me few things taste better than a fresh summer peach or a crisp fall apple. I love buying seasonal produce because I know I’m getting the best quality, and here in Philadelphia most grocers offer locally grown produce.
While shopping for fruits and veggies do you ever feel unsure of what to buy during certain times of the year?
Here’s a quick guide to what fruits and vegetables are in top form each season:
Summer (there’s still a few good weeks left to stock up!):
Apricots
Artichokes
Asparagus
Bananas (good almost all year-round, but s
ummer is the time to eat them quickest as their shelf life can be shorter.)
Various Greens (like Spinach, Kale, Arugula and Swiss chard)
Blackberries
Beets
Bell Peppers (my favorite!)
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cauliflower
Cherries
Currants
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Figs
Grapes
Melons
Peaches
Raspberries
Strawberries
Tomatoes (plum, baby, off the vine etc – in red, green and yellow!)
Watermelon
Zucchini
Fall:
Apples
Bananas
Beets
Beans
Brazilian Mangoes
Broccoli
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Eggplant
Garlic
Grapes
Gourds
Onions
Pears
Peppers
Plums
Potatoes
Pumpkins
Squash
Sweet Corn
Tomatoes
Turnips
Winter:
*In Philly the growing season is basically dormant from January through April, but that doesn’t mean tasty produce isn’t an option.
Here’s some good choices:
Apples (best in early winter)
Bananas
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Celery
Greens (Collards, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale.)
Leeks
Parsnips
Potatoes
Radishes
Winter Squash
Spring:
Asparagus
Celery
Florida Mangoes
Greens (again- almost always good!)
Lima Beans
Peas
Strawberries
Of course, there’s some overlap, and produce availability and freshness can vary depending on your region. But, this list helps serve as an overall guide to help you eat from farm to table . When you buy what’s fresh in your region you’re helping to minimize the number of food miles your purchases travel. And the food tends to taste so much better – enjoy!
Posted by Beth
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9 Responses to Seasonal Produce Guide
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Good advice Beth – I wouldn’t have pegged Plums as fall!
Thanks!
mmmm…love fresh produce. Is there a seaonal recipe resource you can recommend?
thanks!
Sure do Nic G. One to check out is seasonalrecipes.com. They offer a decent amount of recipes. Right now they’re featuring Fall!
thanks! maybe one night i’ll cook for my lovely roommates:)
Thanks for this , very helpful to take with you to the grocery store.
Would you consider posting some of your own recipes that you create from seasonal produce?
I think readers would be interested !
thanks for the guide! it’s awesome!
Hi Jan,
We plan to start a new seasonal (possibly monthly!)feature where I’ll post a recipe for a dish made with organic, seasonal ingredients.
Stay tuned – an autumn recipe is coming within the next few weeks.
Beth
In your opinion, where is the best place to buy fresh seasonal produce?
Bucks County is very fortunate to have the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance, which runs several markets featuring only local, antibiotic free, organic produce and grass fed, free-range meats and poultry. Check out their website for locations and more info. Also try localharvest.org to search for markets with fresh local produce near you.
It really does taste much better than the produce you buy at the supermarket, as well as being more environmentally and economically sound. It would be awesome to bring back small farms as a viable way to make a living again.