What Fruit Is In Season?
Here, a complete season by season breakdown.
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By Fraya Berg for Food Network Kitchen
Fraya is a chef and a contributing writer at Food Network.
The best way to find out what fruit is in season where you live is a trip to the farmers’ market. There you will find tables laden with whatever is the freshest, best representation of all things local. If you need an answer to the question "What Fruits Are In Season?" pronto, don't worry: we've rounded up a list of every fruit that's in season, based on the time of year. Keep in mind that in season fruits will vary based on where you live. California, for example, will have more fruits in season during the winter than the east coast.
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What Does It Mean for Fruit to Be In Season?
When we think about fruit in season, we think about fruits at their peak - shortly after they are harvested. Yep, strawberries are available all year long because they're grown around the world and shipped to supermarkets, but "in season" typically refers to harvest seasons near where you live. Eating in-season has many benefits, including more flavorful and less expensive produce.
Smart Ways to Store Fruits
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What Fruits Are In Season In Winter?
While technically winter doesn’t begin until December 21st, we’re looking at the tail end of November through the middle of March as winter: the coldest time of year in North America.
- Apples
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Cranberries
- Chestnuts
- Citrus fruits: oranges, lemons, limes, mandarin oranges, clementines, tangerines, grapefruit, tangelos, blood oranges, kumquats
- Kiwis
- Pears
- Persimmons
- Pineapples
- Pomegranates
- Quince
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What Fruits Are In Season In Spring?
After what is in many parts of the U.S. a gloomy, cold winter, spring is so welcome. First the flowers and then some of the spring fruits begin to appear. When you think about fleeting spring fruits (and veggies) you may want to try your hand at making it last longer by preserving or freezing. Our Preserve It: Spring Produce article can help with that. So can Food Safety for Food Preserving and Food Trend: Home Canning if this is your first attempt and want to be sure you’re keeping everything safe.
- Apricots
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Cherries
- Citrus fruits
- Kiwis
- Mangos
- Pineapples
- Rhubarb
- Strawberries
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What Fruits Are In Season In Summer?
As days get longer and hotter, even more fruits come into season - and so does pie-making, preserving and freezing. Make Your Own Jam and Making Freezer Jam are two articles with loads of tips that will give you confidence in the kitchen if you decide to try preserving.
- Apricots
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Berries: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries
- Currants
- Mangos
- Melons: watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew
- Mulberries
- Pineapple
- Prickly pears
- Stone fruits: peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries
- Tomatos
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What Fruits Are In Season In Fall?
Fall is the season that has most overlap with the seasons on either side. Summer fruits are waning but still available, and by the beginning of November, the winter fruits are just showing up in markets. It's for this reason that the list below is slightly longer than the other seasons' lists. For ideas on how to bake with all your fall bounty, head over to our gallery of 25 Fabulous Fall Desserts.
- Apples
- Bananas
- Berries
- Chesnuts
- Cranberries
- Figs
- Grapes
- Guavas
- Kiwis
- Kumquats
- Mangos
- Melons
- Passion fruits
- Pears
- Persimmons
- Pomegranates
- Prickly pears
- Quinces
- Stone fruits
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