Fruits and vegetables naturally grow and ripen during certain times of the year. Factors such as region, soil properties, temperature and precipitation all affect the growing cycles of produce. Your goal should be to purchase fruit as close to its normal time of picking as possible. For example, biting into a crisp apple is best in the fall, while peeling a sweet orange may be best during the winter.
Why Seasonal Fruit?
Purchasing fruits when they are in season has several benefits. Seasonal fruit for your region will be cheaper and easier to locate. Produce that is in season will be be picked closer to ripeness because it will not have to travel as far to the store or farmer's market. This translates into fruit that tastes fresher and has retained more vitamins and minerals. There are also environmental benefits. A piece of fruit that is grown locally or closer to home requires less fuel for transport and produces less pollution than one that has traveled from across a continent or an ocean.
Winter
Winter fruits include those that are available in season from November until the end of February. This time frame is not strict because there will be some fruits that overlap seasons. Citrus fruits, grapes, kumquats, cranberries, kiwis, persimmons, pears, passion fruit and rhubarb are all in season during the winter months, according to the Fruitsinfo website. Bananas tend to be in season most months. Fruits available locally may vary according to what grows in your area.
Spring
Spring fruits are in season from March until May. The most commonly available at this time are blueberries, apricots, currants, cantaloupe, cherries, nectarines, rhubarb, figs, papayas, pineapple, raspberries and strawberries. Fruits available locally may vary according to what grows regionally. Some of these fruits, such as papayas or pineapple, may only be available locally and in season in specific regions.
Summer
June through August is considered summer fruit season. Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, apricots, peaches, nectarines, raspberries, plums, papayas, mango, honeydew melon, huckleberries, guava, gooseberries, grapes, figs, currants, Asian pears and cherries are all more easily available during the summer.
Fall
Most people think of pumpkins and apples when picturing autumn produce. Apples, Asian pears, dates, figs, grapes, grapefruit, kiwi, melons, nectarines, plums, persimmons, pomegranates, raspberries, rhubarb and strawberries are available during the fall months, from September through November.
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