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How can I Tell if a Fruit or Vegetable is in Season?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

There are a number of ways to tell if a fruit or vegetable is in season, and there are many reasons to seek out those which are in season. One of the best ways to tell is to use a fruit and vegetable chart, which will tell you specifically what produce is in season in your part of the world. In addition, the appearance of fruits and vegetables in season tends to be very good, they are usually easily available, and the price is often lower.

Many produce items taste best when they are eaten in season. They tend to be transported across shorter distances, because they do not need to be grown in parts of the world where they are in season. It is also more environmentally friendly to buy when a fruit or vegetable is in season, because they do not need to be grown in climate controlled greenhouses.

Strawberries are in season in late spring, while melons are in season in the summer.
Strawberries are in season in late spring, while melons are in season in the summer.

One of the best ways to tell is to use a fruit and vegetable chart which is relevant to your part of the world. Some grocery stores hand out such charts, and you can often obtain a chart through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) association. There are also a number of websites which provide such charts. These charts can also provide information about wildcrafted foods, like fungi.

Asparagus is in season in early spring.
Asparagus is in season in early spring.

Another clue is the cost and appearance of produce. When a fruit or vegetable is in season, it tends to be abundant at the grocery store, and significantly less expensive than it is while out of season. It may also look particularly good, suggesting that it has been well grown and picked at its peak. Berries, for example, will be plump and full with no signs of discoloration while in season, while out of season berries may appear wizened, moldy, or mushy. When a vegetable is in season, it will tend to be smaller, with a more tender texture and intense flavor, rather than large, woody, and tasteless.

Kale, which is in season in the fall.
Kale, which is in season in the fall.

As a general rule, spring is a good time for tender new fruits and vegetables. New potatoes, radishes, salad greens, and asparagus are all in season in the early spring. Later in the spring, you will start to see peas, onions, rhubarb, and some berries such as strawberries. In the summer, a profusion of summer squash is in season, along with raspberries, melons, corn, tomatoes, and okra.

New potatoes, which are in season in early spring.
New potatoes, which are in season in early spring.

The fall is the time when dark green leafy vegetables like kale and chard are in season, along with persimmons, grapes, apples, broccoli, and of course pumpkins. In the winter, you can find potatoes, beets, dark leafy greens, citrus, and cabbages in season. Many winter vegetables can be eaten year-round, with the assistance of a root cellar for storage.

Apples usually come into season in the fall.
Apples usually come into season in the fall.

The determination of whether or not a vegetable is in season is also dependent on where, exactly, you live, especially if you want to eat locally. As you approach the equator, more things become available all year, but you also miss out on things which require a frost to mature properly. In more northern or extreme southern climates, fewer foods are available year-round, and things like dark leafy greens and root vegetables are more abundant and diverse.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon166496

You can also tell by the price. Out of season produce always costs more. And tomatoes especially are not worth eating out of season. We have a farmers' market during the summer and we can get great tomatoes from Grainger County. The soil there seems to be better for them than other places. They used to do strawberries that were also especially good. DWB Kingsport, Tn.

anon166438

I hope that people who are eating wildcrafted food will be extremely careful about mushrooms. There are many which strongly resemble each other, yet one may be highly toxic and it's "twin" merely delicious.

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    • Strawberries are in season in late spring, while melons are in season in the summer.
      Strawberries are in season in late spring, while melons are in season in the summer.
    • Asparagus is in season in early spring.
      By: WimL
      Asparagus is in season in early spring.
    • Kale, which is in season in the fall.
      By: Barbro Bergfeldt
      Kale, which is in season in the fall.
    • New potatoes, which are in season in early spring.
      By: Yahia LOUKKAL
      New potatoes, which are in season in early spring.
    • Apples usually come into season in the fall.
      By: tesgro
      Apples usually come into season in the fall.
    • Vegetables.
      By: Ovidiu Iordachi
      Vegetables.
    • Okra is often abundant in summer.
      By: s4sanchita
      Okra is often abundant in summer.
    • Chard is in season in the fall.
      By: Quanthem
      Chard is in season in the fall.
    • Grapes are typically in season during the fall.
      By: msk.nina
      Grapes are typically in season during the fall.
    • Summer squash is in season most of the summer.
      By: zigzagmtart
      Summer squash is in season most of the summer.
    • Local fruits and vegetables that are in season tend to be cheaper.
      By: PhotoSG
      Local fruits and vegetables that are in season tend to be cheaper.