What's in Season?

According to the USDA’s Food Guide Pyramid, adults and children should consume 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables every day. While that might seem a little overwhelming, getting your daily allowance of fruits and vegetables can be easier (and more delicious) if you understand when these foods are in their peak seasons.

Summer

The summer months are a fantastic time for produce, as the warm weather makes for more hospitable growing conditions. This season yields a long list of fruits and vegetables to indulge in—which is good news for bikini and beach season!

Summer fruits include watermelon, cantaloupe and blueberries. You’ll want to look for cherries in the early summer months, while peaches, tomatoes, grapes and most varieties of apples are better later in the season.

Looking for some vegetables to throw onto the grill? Pick up some bell peppers and corn to complement your burger or grilled chicken. Carrots, cucumbers and peas are also at their peak in the summer, perfect for tossing into a fresh summer salad.

Late summer into fall is the perfect time for summer squash varieties, including spaghetti, butternut and yellow squash.

Fall

When the leaves start to turn colors and there’s a crisp in the air, fill your grocery cart with coconuts, sweet potatoes and mushrooms.

And if you’re seeking out the perfect pumpkin for your Halloween jack-o’-lantern or Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, fall is just the right time to grab this perfectly plump veggie.

Winter

While icy temperatures and a blanket of snow don’t seem conducive to growing any kind of produce, the winter months are a great time to find a number of delicious and hearty fruits and veggies.

While citrus fruits are sometimes thought of as summertime treats, winter is actually peak citrus season, meaning you should seek out grapefruits, lemons, limes, oranges and tangerines during the cooler months. This is also prime time for pears, kiwis and bananas.

And it’s no wonder winter is a popular time for hot pots of stew; the list of vegetables in season during this time is long. Popular vegetables fresh in the winter include carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and varieties of winter squash and lettuce.

Spring

As the weather gets warmer and the frost starts to melt, flowers aren’t the only thing in bloom in the spring. This season is prime time to pick up pineapple, artichokes and asparagus.

In the late spring months (and into summer), strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, mangoes and green beans begin peaking.

Year Round Produce

Luckily, there are a number of fruits and veggies you can find fresh any time of year, so you never have to go without their delicious health benefits. Avocados, potatoes, onions and celery can be added to your grocery list all year long without any worry of buying subpar product.

Erica is a runner, gym rat and outdoor buff based in Austin, Texas. She is a lifelong athlete, having participated in a number of sports from her youth years well into her adult life. Erica has a passion for creating and sharing information, motivation and inspiration to help athletes-in-training across the world. She previously worked as the Running Editor at ACTIVE.com (find her articles here), where she connected with runners of all levels to help them reach their running and fitness goals. You can follow Erica on Twitter or Instagram.

Main Photo Credit: v.schlichting/shutterstock.com; Second Photo Credit: Boiarkina Marina/shutterstock.com; Third Photo Credit: Iryna Denysova/shutterstock.com; Fourth Photo Credit: Kostiantyn Fastov/shutterstock.com