Season’s Eatings

 

Here’s your go-to guide to buying fresh fruits and veggies during their cheapest (and ripest!) season. It’s the French trick to saving some dough and keeping your kitchen exciting:

Winter is for Starches, Cabbage, and Citrus

Winter produce is exactly what you think of when you want to cook up something to warm you from the snow. Sweet potatoes, parsnips, and rutabagas taste great mashed or roasted; cabbages and leeks go well with ground beef; citrus fruits make tasty winter desserts.

 

December – broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, kale, leeks, mushrooms, oranges, papayas, parsnips, pears, pomegranates, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, tangelos, tangerines, turnips
January – broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, kale, leeks, lemons, oranges, parsnips, rutabagas, tangelos, tangerines, turnips
February – broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, kale, leeks, lemons, oranges, parsnips, rutabagas, tangelos, turnips

Spring is for Artichokes, Salads, and Pineapple

Spring produce brings the mighty artichoke to the table, which is sublime when roasted and dipped in butter. Lettuce, radish, and other salad ingredients come into season as well, making it the right time to throw together a batch of vinaigrette. Pineapples dominate the sweet side until apricots, cherries, mangoes, and strawberries see some summer light in May.

yellow flowers

March – artichokes, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, parsnips, pineapples, radishes, rutabagas, turnips
April – artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, pineapples, radishes, rhubarb, spring peas< May – apricots, artichokes, asparagus, cherries, lettuce, mangos, okra, pineapples, radishes, rhubarb, spring peas, strawberries, swiss chard, zucchini

Summer is for Fruit, Grilled Veggies, and Cucumber Salad

The fruits come to season and it’s the perfect time to make a tart. Breaking out the BBQ gives new life to zucchini and corn, who hit their peak this season. Cucumber and tomato join the party in July, the perfect time for a refreshing cucumber-tomato salad.

 

June – apricots, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, corn, kiwi, lettuce, mangoes, peaches, strawberries, swiss chard, watermelon, zucchini

July – apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, green beans, kiwi, kohlrabi, lettuce, mangoes, okra, peaches, peppers plums, raspberries, strawberries, summer squash, swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelon, zucchini
August – acorn squash, apples, apricots, blueberries, butternut squash, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, figs, green beans, kiwi, kohlrabi, lettuce, mangoes, okra, peaches, peppers plums, raspberries, strawberries, summer squash, swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelon, winter squash, zucchini

Autumn

Autumn brings that perfect time for the sweet and savory mix. Apples, grapes, and figs blend well with meat entrees while pumpkins and sweet potatoes find their way into desserts.

September – acorn squash, apples, beets, butternut squash, cantaloupe, cauliflower, eggplant, figs, grapes, green beans, lettuce, mangoes, mushrooms, okra, peppers, persimmons, pomegranates, pumpkins, spinach, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, tomatoes
October – acorn squash, apples, beets, broccoli, butternut squash, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cranberries, grapes, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, parsnips, persimmons, pomegranates, pumpkins, rutabagas, spinach, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, turnips, winter squash
November – beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cranberries, leeks, mushrooms, oranges, parsnips, pears, persimmons, pomegranates, pumpkins, rutabagas, spinach, sweet potatoes, tangerines, turnips, winter squash

Do you buy produce in season? What are your tricks for saving a few dollars at the grocery store?