It dawned on me recently that not everyone understands the cycles of seasonal fruit and vegetables. Science and technology allow you to eat just about anything you want, whenever you want. But, that doesn’t mean it’s the best time to eat it.
Fruits and vegetables grow in cycles and ripen at different times. When you hear to term “seasonal fruit” it means that it ripens during a particular season. Because of this cycle, it will taste better and be more abundant in vitamins and minerals.
I have put together a simple guide to the best seasonal fruits to eat throughout the year. This will help you make the tastiest and healthiest choices at the grocery store when looking for fresh produce.
Winter
Just because the days are shorter and colder doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything out there to eat. Some of the best winter fruits include pears, kiwis, mandarins, and clementines.
Spring
Although the days are getting warmer, our pickings are a little limited during the spring as many of the fruits are still recovering from the winter. Kick off the warmer weather with apricots, pineapples, and bananas.
Summer
Sweet summer time means many different fruits are ripe. Be sure to quench your cravings with lots of berries and melons. Some of the best summer fruits include blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, melons, peaches, and cherries.
Fall
As the days start to cool off and the leaves change colors, indulge in nectarines, apples, grapes, and cantaloupe.
Science and technology has brought us into an era where we can basically eat whatever we want, regardless of the season. We sometimes just have cravings for the wrong fruits in the wrong season, it happens when you know it’s readily available to you.
Of course you can take advantage of this luxury, but sticking to this guide will help you enjoy the best fruits throughout the year. Additionally, seasonal fruits are cheaper when they’re ripe and more expensive out of season.
With this guide, gone are the days of eating a dry or tasteless fruit because you didn’t know it wasn’t in season.