Buy Fruits in Season for the best Flavor (2024)

You can find most fruits and vegetables at your local supermarket year-round thanks to imports, but choosing local, in-season fruits is the best way to taste peak flavor and benefit from the highest nutrients—not to mention you can support local businesses and farmer's markets while reducing your environmental impact. Read on to learn what fruit is in season by month for seasonal produce.

In-Season Fruits

Spring

  • Honeydew melons
  • Limes
  • Mangos
  • Pineapples
  • Rhubarb
  • Strawberries

Summer

  • Asian pears
  • Blackberries
  • Blueberries
  • Boysenberries
  • Cantaloupe melons
  • Cherries
  • Figs
  • Grapes
  • Nectarines
  • Passionfruit
  • Peaches
  • Plums
  • Raspberries
  • Watermelon

Fall

  • Apples
  • Cranberries
  • Key limes
  • Pears
  • Pomegranates

Winter

  • Clementines
  • Grapefruit
  • Kiwifruits
  • Oranges
  • Pomelos

Spring: March, April, and May

After winter, when fresh fruit may not be in season, the spring is a welcome time for apricots, melons, and some berries. Classic combinations like strawberry rhubarb inspire fresh, vibrant dishes that liven up your meals after a long winter.

Apricots

Apricots tend to be a little soft to the touch when ripe. Choose golden-orange apricots and avoid ones that are hard and greenish. If you buy apricots that aren't quite ripe, keep them at room temperature. They don't last long, so eat them within a day or two.

Buy Fruits in Season for the best Flavor (1)

Serving Sizes for 18 Popular Fruits and Vegetables

Honeydew Melons

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Honeydews should feel heavy for their size with an unblemished rind and a greenish color. They may also feel waxy or even sticky to the touch. Store them in the refrigerator until you cut them, then store the cut pieces in a covered container in the fridge.

Limes

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It's easy to find limes most of the year but their best season is spring. Choose limes with smooth, shiny skin that feels heavy. Limes keep well and can stay in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Lychees

Canned lychees are available year-round, but you may find fresh ones in some grocery stores in the spring. Choose lychees with firm red shells and feel heavy for their size. Store them in the refrigerator where they'll keep for up to 10 days.

Mangos

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A ripe mango should have a sweet aroma and the skin should give just a little bit when you squeeze the fruit, but not so much that you leave a dent. The color of the skin should be green, yellow, or red. Keep ripe, whole mangos in your refrigerator for up to a week. Once you cut the mango, it needs to be eaten within a day or two.

Pineapples

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Fresh pineapples should have dark green, firm leaves and feel heavy when you hold one. Avoid fruits with wilted leaves or dark or squishy spots on the skin. Pineapples can be kept at room temperature for a day or two, but once they're peeled and sliced, store the pieces in the fridge and eat them within a couple days.

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Rhubarb

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You'll rarely find fresh rhubarb in the grocery store throughout the year, so grab it while you can. Check farmer's markets if you can't find them at local grocery stores. Rhubarb is ripe when the stalks are deep red, but avoid stalks that are limp or appear dehydrated. Keep your rhubarb in the refrigerator and use it within a few days.

Strawberries

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Sweet red strawberries are easy to find all year but at their peak during spring and summer. Choose berries that are firm but not solid. Avoid strawberries with mold or squishy spots. Keep strawberries refrigerated and eat them within a few days.

Visiting a farmer’s market is always a good way to find seasonal fruits and vegetables. You might find local flavors at their peak and discover new favorites.

Summer: June, July, and August

Apricots, honeydew melons, limes, lychees, and strawberries continue to be in season during summer, but you will also find a wide variety of fruits coming into season. Freezing fruit preserves nutrients, so if you have a big bounty of summer fruits and enough storage space, freeze them to enjoy during the winter.

Asian Pears

Asian pears are at their peak in the summer, although you'll often see them at other times of the year. Choose pears that are firm to the touch without any dark spots. Asian pears keep their firm texture and last up to a week at room temperature or up to three months when refrigerated.

Blackberries

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Blackberries are at their best during summer when they're shiny and dark. Look for berries that are not bruised or mushy. You don't want to see fluid leaking from the berries or any signs of mold. Keep blackberries in the refrigerator for up to a week, but don't wash them until you're ready to eat them.

Blueberries

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Blueberries are bigger and better-tasting in the summer—and likely less expensive than at other times in the year. As with any berry, look for smooth skins with no sign of mold. Blueberries should be dark in color when they're fully ripe. Keep them in the refrigerator, unwashed, for up to two weeks.

Boysenberries

Boysenberries are a cross between blackberries and raspberries with a darker color than red raspberries but not as dark as blackberries. Choose boysenberries with smooth, shiny skins. As long as they're not washed, they'll last for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Cantaloupe Melons

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It's hard to imagine a summer without cantaloupe. Choose melons with firm, unbroken skin that feel heavy for their size. Avoid those that look like they're bruised. Store whole cantaloupe melons for up to one week. Refrigerate any peeled and sliced pieces and eat them within a few days.

Casaba Melons

These melons have pale green flesh and bright yellow skin when fully ripe. Choose firm casaba melons without bruises or squishy parts. The stem end might feel slightly soft, which is fine. Store casaba melons at room temperature for a week and refrigerate melons that have been cut.

Cherries

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Canned and frozen cherries are available around, but you'll find fresh cherries at their peak in summer. Choose deep red cherries with smooth, unbroken skins, and without bruises or blemishes. Cherries will stay fresh in your refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Figs

Fresh figs are ready in the summertime but they don't last long. Choose figs with smooth, dry skin. They should be soft to the touch but not mushy. Refrigerate them and eat within a day or two.

Grapes

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Grapes have a long season that starts in the summer when you'll find several varieties. Choose plump grapes with no bruising, mushy spots, or mold. Keep them in the refrigerator for up to 10 days or freeze them.

Nectarines

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Fresh nectarines are best in the summer. Choose fruits with smooth skin that are firm but not too hard. Avoid nectarines that are bruised or mushy. Keep firm nectarines at room temperature for a day or two or put them in the refrigerator. You'll need to eat them within two or three days.

Passion Fruits

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Summer signals the beginning of passion fruit season when you might find it at your local grocery store. Choose passion fruit with wrinkled skin and a heavy feel. If the surface is smooth, the fruit isn't ripe yet. Keep them at room temperature for a few days until fully ripened and then store them in the fridge.

Peaches

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Fresh, fragrant peaches are ripe during the summer. Choose fruits with fuzzy skin that are firm but not too hard. Avoid peaches that are bruised or mushy. You can keep firm peaches at room temperature and eat them within two or three days.

Plums

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Fresh plums are sweet and tasty and easy to find in the produce section during the summertime. Choose plums that are plump with smooth skins. Avoid plums that are mushy or bruised. Keep plums at room temperature or refrigerate them and eat them within two or three days.

Raspberries

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Lovely but delicate raspberries are at their best during summer. Choose raspberries without bruises or mushy skins. You shouldn't see fluid leaking from the berries or any sign ofmold. Keep raspberries in the refrigerator, but don't wash them until you're ready to eat them, which should be within a day or two.

Watermelon

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Watermelons are the quintessential summertime fruit. Choose heavy watermelons and look for a creamy yellow spot on the rind. Keep whole watermelons at room temperatureor cut them for refrigerator storage. Eat your watermelons within five or six days.

Another way to find seasonal produce is by joining a CSA (community-supported agriculture) share. By becoming a CSA member, you buy a share of a local farm’s seasonal harvest. This is a great way to support farmers and try fresh, in-season local produce.

Fall: September, October, and November

Asian pears, grapes, and passion fruits stay in season while mangos and pineapples come back into season during the fall. Classic fall fruits like cranberries and pomegranates make an appearance as well.

Apples

Apples may be available year-round, but they are at their peak in the fall. Plus, you may be able to go and pick your own at a local orchard. Look for firm apples without bruising, cuts, or soft spots. Store them on the counter for five to seven days or unwashed in the fridge for six to eight weeks. Apples go brown after you cut them, but squeezing lemon juice can prevent that. Store apple slices in the fridge for three to five days.

Cranberries

This is the time of year when tart and tangy cranberries are ready for your favorite fall recipes. Choose cranberries that are firm with glossy red skin. They'll keep for a long time as long as you refrigerate them. In fact, they're good for up to two months.

Key Limes

Little key limes are ready in the fall. Choose limes that have firm,shiny skin and feel heavy for their tiny size. Keep key limes in the refrigerator, where they'll stay fresh for up to two weeks.

Pears

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You can find pears any time of year, but they're most flavorful in the fall. Choose pears that are firm with just a little softness near the stem. Keep firm pears at room temperature and move them to the refrigerator after a day or two so they don't over-ripen.

Pomegranates

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Fresh pomegranates are perfect in fall dishes or as a healthy snack. Choose pomegranates that are firm and heavy for their size. Keep whole pomegranates in the fridge for up to two months until you're ready to remove the arils.

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Winter: December, January, and February

Pomegranates, pears, and passion fruits continue to be in season during winter. This is the time of year when citrus fruits hit grocery aisles, providing a bit of sunshine for chilly, dark days.

Clementines

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Clementines are a popular citrus fruit that's at its peak in winter. Look for bright and smooth fruit without dull areas or broken skin. Avoid green clementines. They should feel heavy for their size, as light ones indicate they may be dry. Clementines last on the counter for about a week and in the fridge for one to two weeks.

Grapefruits

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Fresh grapefruits aren't ever hard to find, but they're most affordable during winter. Choose grapefruits that have smooth skin and are heavy for their size. Fresh, uncut grapefruits will last a week at room temperature or two to three weeks in the refrigerator.

Kiwifruits

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Little kiwifruits are at their peak in winter, and this is when they're most flavorful and affordable. Choose kiwifruits with fuzzy, unbroken skin. They should feel heavy for their size and somewhat soft. Keep them refrigerated, where they'll keep fresh for up to six weeks.

Oranges

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All kinds of oranges come into season during winter, including naval oranges, mandarins, and tangerines. Look for oranges that smell sweet and fresh, have firm skin, and feel heavy for their size. Room temperature is fine for a day or two, but if you need to keep them longer, the refrigerator is where they'll stay fresh for up to two weeks.

Pomelos

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Fresh pomelos (also called pummelos) look like giant grapefruits, and you'll find them during the winter months. Choose pummelos that have smooth skin and are heavy for their size. Fresh, uncut pummelos will last for a week at room temperature or up to three weeks in the refrigerator.

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Buy Fruits in Season for the best Flavor (2024)
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