It is so easy to get caught up in to wanting blueberries and peaches year-round. After all - those are the things that our children (and let's face it - us) love! They are an easy way to appease our children (and ourselves) with familiar flavors. But have you ever noticed that fruits and vegetables taste their best when they are the cheapest? The BEST corn on the cob I eat all year, every year is when it is on sale 10 ears for $1....not because it is so cheap, but because it is at the height of season and tastes absolutely fantabulous!
Don't get me wrong - I love certain fruits & veg and there are some that I could eat every day. Give me a pint of blueberries? I'll be snacking on that pint all day until it's gone! The problem? A pint of blueberries may cost me $2 in the summer, but $8 in the winter. I think it's time to find a new fruit or vegetable to snack on in the winter.
The cost of buying out-of season is often too high. It's not just the money that I am pulling out of my pocket...it's also about the environment. Getting my family blueberries in February involves shipping those blueberries thousands of miles to me. That means natural resources (gas), pollution and more. Meanwhile, if I stocked up in the late-spring and early summer (when blueberries are rock-bottom cheap) and froze them, I could enjoy them all year long. Better yet, I could take my children to one of several farms in the area and we could pick the blueberries and then freeze them (clearly, I am anxiously awaiting blueberry season).
Am I saying that you should NEVER buy produce when it isn't in-season? Of course not. What I am doing is encouraging you to buy what is in-season (and preferably local) to save money...and even the environment.
Venture outside of your "Fruit & Vegetable Comfort Zone" to take advantage of produce when it is in season! Not sure what to do with unfamiliar fruits and vegetables? There is a wealth of information on the Internets. Check out Food Network, AllRecipes...or just Google whatever fruit or vegetable you are looking for and add the word "recipe" (i.e. "Squash Recipes", "Asparagus Recipes", etc)
And so, without further ado, here is your listing of in-season fruits and vegetables by month (note: Bananas, potatoes, carrots and celery seem to always be in season..for whatever reason...be it that they ALWAYS need to be shipped in,,or whatever! They are not included on this list). Pick a few new ones this month and see what wonderful dishes you can create!
:: January
- Vegetables
- cabbages
- leeks
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- Fruits
- oranges
- grapefruit
- tangerines
- tangelos
- lemons
- papayas
:: February
- Vegetables
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- Fruits
- oranges
- grapefruits
- lemons
- papayas
:: March
-Vegetables
- broccoli
- lettuce
- Fruits
- pineapples
- mangoes
:: April
-Vegetables
- zucchini
- rhubarb
- artichokes
- asparagus
- spring peas
- broccoli
- lettuce
- Fruits
- pineapples
- mangoes
:: May
-Vegetables
- okra
- zucchini
- rhubarb
- artichokes
- asparagus
- spring peas
- broccoli
- lettuce
- Fruits
- cherries
- pineapples
- apricots
:: June
-Vegetables
- corn
- lettuce
- Fruits
- watermelon
- strawberries
- cantaloupe
- cherries
- blueberries
- peaches
- apricots
:: July
-Vegetables
- cucumbers
- tomatoes
- summer squash
- corn
- green beans
- lettuce
- Fruits
- watermelon
- strawberries
- cantaloupe
- blueberries
- peaches
- apricots
- kiwi
- raspberries
- plums
:: August
-Vegetables
- cucumbers
- corn
- eggplant
- tomatoes
- summer squash
- green beans
- lettuce
- Fruits
- watermelon
- strawberries
- cantaloupe
- blueberries
- peaches
- apricots
- kiwi
- raspberries
- plums
:: September
-Vegetables
- eggplants
- pumpkins
- tomatoes
- spinach
- lettuce
- Fruits
- grapes
- pomegranates
:: October
-Vegetables
- sweet potatoes
- pumpkins
- winter squash
- broccoli
- spinach lettuce
- Fruits
- cranberries
- apples
- pomegranates
- grapes
:: November
-Vegetables
- pumpkins
- winter squash
- sweet potatoes
- broccoli
- mushrooms
- spinach
- Fruits
- cranberries
- oranges
- tangerines
- pears
- pomegranates
:: December
-Vegetables
- sweet potatoes
- mushrooms
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- Fruits
- pears
- oranges
- grapefruit
- tangerines
- papayas
- pomegranates
Diane K.
I totally agree! Here is another handy tip...buy what is on sale. Usually the in season produce is on sale because of supply and demand. I like your list, but I simply keep an eye on the sales, that tells me what is in season.
Debbi
Thank you sooo much for this Mindi- especially the list! I'm new to this whole mom/wife thing and am still learning all these goodies. How do you reccomend freezing? Chopping then putting into freezer bags?