Which Produce Should I Buy, and When?
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The produce available in each season varies by region, especially in the colder months. In the following section, learn about the seasonal fruits, vegetables, and herbs available in many stores and markets around the country.
Seasonal Food Guide, by Region
West arrow_upward
Winter
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Grapefruit
- Green beans
- Kiwifruit
- Lemons
- Lettuce
- Limes
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Oranges
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Sprouts
- Strawberries
- Strawberries
- Sweet potatoes
- Tangerines
- Winter squash
Spring
- Apricots
- Artichokes
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Beets
- Bok choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cherries
- Chili peppers
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Collard greens
- Grapefruit
- Green beans
- Green onions (scallions)
- Kale
- Kiwifruit
- Lemons
- Limes
- Lettuce
- Mandarins
- Mangoes
- Mint
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Onions
- Oranges
- Parsnips
- Peppers
- Plums
- Pomegranates
- Potatoes
- Snap peas and snow peas
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Summer squash
- Tangerines
- Watermelon
- Zucchini
Summer
- Apples (Gala, Jersey Mac, Paula Red, Vista Bella)
- Apricots
- Artichokes
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Beets
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Cherries
- Chili peppers
- Chives
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Figs
- Garlic
- Grapefruit
- Grapes
- Green beans
- Green onions (scallions)
- Honeydew melons
- Lemons
- Lettuce
- Limes
- Mangoes
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Onions
- Oranges
- Peaches (white and yellow)
- Peppers
- Plums
- Potatoes
- Raspberries
- Rosemary
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Summer squash
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
Fall
- Apples (Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Pink Lady)
- Artichokes
- Arugula
- Asian pears
- Avocados
- Beets
- Blackberries
- Bok choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Chestnuts
- Chili peppers
- Cilantro
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Dates
- Edamame
- Eggplant
- Figs
- Grapefruit
- Grapes
- Green beans
- Green onions (scallions)
- Honeydew melons
- Kale
- Kiwifruit
- Lemons
- Limes
- Lettuce
- Mandarins
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Onions
- Oranges
- Peaches (white and yellow)
- Pears
- Peas
- Pecans
- Peppers
- Persimmons
- Plums
- Pomegranates
- Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Raspberries
- Snap peas
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Summer squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Watermelons
- Winter squash
Southwest arrow_upward
Winter
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Cilantro
- Grapefruit
- Lemons
- Limes
- Mandarins
- Mushrooms
- Oranges
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Sweet potatoes
- Tangerines
- Winter squash
Spring
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Cherries
- Chili peppers
- Chives
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Figs
- Grapefruit
- Grapes
- Green beans
- Green onions (scallions)
- Lemons
- Limes
- Lettuce
- Lima beans
- Mandarins
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Onions
- Oranges
- Peaches (white and yellow)
- Pears
- Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Raspberries
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Summer squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Tangerines
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
- Zucchini
Summer
- Apples (Gala, Jersey Mac, Paula Red, Vista Bella)
- Arugula
- Blueberries
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots
- Cherries
- Chili peppers
- Chives
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Figs
- Grapes
- Green beans
- Green onions
- Honeydew melons
- Lettuce
- Lima beans
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Onions
- Peaches (white and yellow)
- Peas
- Pears
- Peppers
- Persimmons
- Plums
- Potatoes
- Raspberries
- Summer squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Watermelons
- Winter squash
- Zucchini
Fall
- Apples (Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Pink Lady)
- Arugula
- Basil
- Beets
- Brussels sprouts
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots
- Cabbage
- Chili peppers
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Figs
- Grapefruit
- Grapes
- Green beans
- Green onions
- Honeydew melons
- Kale
- Lemons
- Lettuce
- Limes
- Lima beans
- Mandarins
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Oranges
- Peanuts
- Pecans
- Pears
- Peas
- Peppers
- Persimmons
- Plums
- Pomegranates
- Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Raspberries
- Summer squash
- Spinach
- Summer squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Tangerines
- Tomatoes
- Watermelons
- Winter squash
- Zucchini
Southeast arrow_upward
Winter
- Arugula
- Carrots
- Cilantro
- Green onions (scallions)
- Mint
- Peanuts
- Spinach
- Sprouts
- Sweet potatoes
- Winter squash
Spring
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cherries
- Green onions
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Peanuts
- Peas
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Summer squash
- Sweet potatoes
Summer
- Apples (Gala, Jersey Mac, Paula Red, Vista Bella)
- Blackberries
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupe
- Cherries
- Chili peppers
- Chives
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Figs
- Green beans
- Green onions
- Honeydew melons
- Lima beans
- Okra
- Peaches (white and yellow)
- Peanuts
- Pears
- Peppers
- Plums
- Potatoes
- Shallots
- Snow peas
- Summer squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Watermelons
- Zucchini
Fall
- Apples (Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Pink Lady)
- Arugula
- Beets
- Blackberries
- Bok choy
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Chili peppers
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Figs
- Grapes
- Green beans
- Green onions (scallions)
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Peaches (white and yellow)
- Peanuts
- Pears
- Pecans
- Persimmons
- Pumpkin
- Raspberries
- Shallots
- Spinach
- Summer squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Winter squash
- Zucchini
Midwest arrow_upward
Winter
- Endives
- Mushrooms
- Shallots
- Sprouts
Spring
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Cherries
- Cilantro
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Peas
- Spinach
- Strawberries
Summer
- Apples (Gala, Jersey Mac, Paula Red, Vista Bella)
- Arugula
- Asian pears
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Bok choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Cherries
- Chili peppers
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Garlic
- Grapes
- Green beans
- Green onions
- Honeydew melons
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Onions
- Peaches (white and yellow)
- Peas
- Peppers
- Plums
- Potatoes
- Raspberries
- Shallots
- Snap peas
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Summer squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Watermelons
- Winter squash
Fall
- Apples (Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Pink Lady)
- Arugula
- Asian pears
- Beets
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Chili peppers
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Grapes
- Green onions (scallions)
- Honeydew melons
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Lima beans
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Onion
- Peas
- Peaches (white and yellow)
- Pears
- Peppers
- Plums
- Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Raspberries
- Spinach
- Summer squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Watermelons
- Winter squash
- Zucchini
Northeast arrow_upward
Winter
- Horseradish
- Shallots
- Sprouts
Spring
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Chives
- Green onions
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
Summer
- Apples (Gala, Jersey Mac, Paula Red, Vista Bella)
- Arugula
- Beets
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Bok choy
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Cherries
- Chili peppers
- Chives
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Grapes
- Green onions
- Honeydew melons
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Peaches (white and yellow)
- Peppers
- Plums
- Shallots
- Snap peas and snow peas
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Summer squash
- Tomatoes
- Winter squash
- Zucchini
Fall
- Apples (Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Pink Lady)
- Arugula
- Basil
- Beets
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Chili peppers
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Grapes
- Green beans
- Green onions
- Honeydew melons
- Kale
- Lima beans
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Onions
- Peas
- Peaches (white and yellow)
- Pears
- Peppers
- Potatoes
- Plums
- Pumpkin
- Raspberries
- Snap peas
- Spinach
- Summer squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Watermelons
- Winter squash
- Zucchini
Sources:
Corrigan, Richard. “The Earliest-Ripening Apples,” Home Guides | SF Gate. Accessed November 14, 2018.
McLeod, Jaime. “11 Common Apple Varieties to Try This Fall,” Farmers’ Almanac. Accessed November 14, 2018.
“Seasonal Food Guide,” GRACE Communications Foundation, 2018. Accessed November 14, 2018.
Citation for this content: MPH@UNC, the Gillings School of Global Public Health’s online MPH program
Please note that this is for informational purposes only. Individuals should consult their health care professionals before following any of the information provided.