When to Buy Seasonal Fruits and Veggies by Month: A Guide

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One of the big tips on saving at the grocery store is knowing When to Buy Seasonal Fruits and Veggies by Month! Everyone knows that buying produce in season is a great way to save money on your overall grocery bill. Even if you don’t plan ever to start a garden, knowing when to stock up could save you a lot of money. By blanching or freezing your fruits and vegetables, you can stock up on them during their rock bottom prices so that you can enjoy them at their best all year long! Fruit makes great jams and jellies, veggie can even be canned with meats and turned in to ready to eat meals like our Chicken Vegetable Soup!

I get a few questions here and there about what seems to be my lack of produce on my grocery lists. SOOO, let me try to fill in the blanks for you!
Usually you only see me buy frozen fruits and veggies at the store: the fruits are great for smoothies and the veggies for soups, casseroles or side dishes. Once in a while I get canned veggies – usually only chili beans and tomatoes for stews and chili. All of those I can get at greatly reduced prices with sale pricing and coupons.

We DO have a lot of fresh fruit bearing items in our backyard.

Everything from apples, apricots, cherries, to rhubarb. We freeze it, preserve it and munch on it. Occasionally I do get fresh fruit to add to the breakfast choices (grapes, grapefruit, bananas, strawberries, mandarin oranges) and use the aging items for making jam or breads.

There are Freecycle offers for garden surplus.

We have gotten tomatoes, zucchini and beans in nice quantities over the summer which have led to salsa, pickles and oven roasted green beans.

Then there is the swap option!

Something that I stock up on and get to swap a friend or family member for. My mom had zucchini that I turned around and grated, then frozen in two cup portions so I can make bread over the winter. Maybe I offer up juice, or oatmeal, or boxed cereal – it just depends on what they need! Tonight, the neighbor got some pizza – but I had Greek salad last night, complete with Feta cheese and mini tomatoes! We do hit the pumpkin patch in the fall and pick up some squash too — nothing like butternut squash soup or roasted acorn squash on a cold day!

I hope that clears things up – you can eat very well while keeping a budget and using coupons. It is not all boxed, pre-processed stuff – although my daughter thinks the Yoplait Delites yogurt is really pudding, LOL! It’s all in how you “sell it” to them – she almost begs for that chocolate raspberry treat!

Work the Selling Cycle

In my peak discount shopping days, I focused on hitting fresh produce sales when they came in at under a doller per pound or less. Granted, you can get most of these items year round at your local store, but I am talking PEAK season here. If you want to avoid paying top dollar for your produce, here is when to buy fruits and vegetables by the month. Please note that what is in season may vary based on where you live, but these can serve as general guidelines. Also, note that this is not every single fruit and vegetable in the entire world. Some of the more particular ones didn’t make this list. Generally, those items are imported and the expense keeps them from being included. You also won’t see three super cheap staples: bananas, onions, celery, and potatoes. These babies are so inexpensive that you can can find them at your local QuikTrip for under $.30 a pound year round.

Of course, you could save even more money on your produce if you chose to grow it yourself – we have a ton of hints and tips on our sister site Try To Garden. We talk about everything from starting a garden from scratch to the best ways to grow certain items of produce. We even have hints and tips for getting your kids into the act!

When to Buy Seasonal Fruits and Veggies by Month

January Seasonal Fruits and Veggies

With cabbage in season way before St Patrick’s Day, try our recipe for stuffed cabbage leaves – it’s a tasty and frugal meal idea!

Fruit

• Cranberries
• Grapefruit
• Kiwi
• Lemon
• Oranges
• Pears
• Tangerines

Veggies

• Broccoli
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower

February Seasonal Fruits and Veggies 

Our incredible Raspberry Pear Loaf will tempt your Valentine this month!

Fruit

• Grapefruit
• Kiwi
• Lemon
• Oranges
• Pears

Veggies

• Arugula
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower

March Seasonal Fruits and Veggies

Grab your Instant Pot and whip up our Lemon Chicken Piccata with Asparagus this month! If you are still meatless for lent? Try our Delectable Asiago Asparagus Tart instead.

Fruit

• Grapefruit
• Kiwi
• Lemon
• Oranges
• Pineapple
• Strawberries

Veggies

• Artichokes
• Arugula
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Green Onions
• Radishes

April Seasonal Fruits and Veggies

Our Sheet Pan Pineapple Spiced Chicken might be just what you need to bring a taste of the tropics in to freshen things up after a long winter.

Fruit

• Grapefruit
• Kiwi
• Lemon
• Oranges
• Pineapple
• Strawberries

Veggies

• Artichokes
• Arugula
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Green Onions
• Radishes

May Seasonal Fruits and Veggies

With Fresh Blueberries, this baked Blueberry French Toast Recipe is perfect to make for Mother’s Day!

Fruit

• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Cherries
• Grapefruit
• Kiwi
• Lemon
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Pineapple
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes

Veggies

• Artichokes
• Arugula
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Cucumber
• Green Beans
• Green Onions
• Lettuce
• Radishes

June Seasonal Fruits and Veggies

Strawberry season means the perfect time to use those just-picked-gems to make our Strawberry Mason Jar Cheesecake!

Fruit

• Apricots
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Cherries
• Figs
• Kiwi
• Lemon
• Limes
• Nectarines
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Pineapple
• Plums
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Watermelons

Veggies

• Artichokes
• Arugula
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Green Beans
• Green Onions
• Lettuce
• Radishes

July Seasonal Fruits and Veggies

This hot month means a cool treat like Watermelon is called for! Check out our Hot Watermelon Recipes

Fruit

• Apricots
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Cherries
• Figs
• Grapes
• Kiwi
• Lemon
• Limes
• Melons
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Plums
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Watermelons

Veggies

• Artichokes
• Arugula
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Green Beans
• Green Onions
• Lettuce
• Peppers
• Radishes

August Seasonal Fruits and Veggies

Use the seasonal plums to indulge your family in this delightful fall treat: Plum Crisp

Fruit

• Apples
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Cherries
• Figs
• Grapes
• Lemon
• Limes
• Melons
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Plums
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Watermelons

Veggies

• Artichokes
• Arugula
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Green Beans
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Peppers
• Radishes

September Seasonal Fruits and Veggies

With only 4 Weight Watcher Smart Points per serving, this Lemon Caper Chicken Casserole is perfect to make with fresh lemons!

Fruit

• Apples
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Cranberries
• Figs
• Grapes
• Lemon
• Melons
• Nectarines
• Pears
• Peaches
• Plums

Veggies

• Arugula
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Green Beans
• Kale
• Mushrooms
• Peppers
• Pumpkins
• Radishes
• Sweet Potatoes

October Seasonal Fruits and Veggies

Pumpkin is the flavor of the month so check out these 30 fall pumpkin recipes!

Fruit

• Apples
• Cranberries
• Figs
• Grapes
• Oranges
• Pears
• Peaches

Veggies

• Arugula
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Kale
• Mushrooms
• Peppers
• Pumpkins
• Sweet Potatoes

November Seasonal Fruits and Veggies

Use seasonal Sweet Potatoes to make this killer breakfast casserole!

Fruit

• Apples
• Cranberries
• Grapefruit
• Kiwi
• Oranges
• Pears
• Peaches
• Tangerines

Veggies

• Arugula
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Kale
• Mushrooms
• Onion
• Peppers
• Potatoes
• Pumpkins
• Sweet Potatoes

December Seasonal Fruits and Veggies

With Broccoli, Carrots, and Cauliflower ins season – it is a great month to make our California Blend Casserole!

Fruit

• Cranberries
• Grapefruit
• Kiwi
• Lemon
• Oranges
• Pears
• Tangerines

Veggies

• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Pumpkins
• Sweet Potatoes

If you are trying to eat seasonally, hopefully, this guide will help you determine what fruits are best during and when is the optimal time to stock up on them. Fresh produce, at the peak of the season, at the lower prices means you can feed your family better, and for less! It really pays to know When to Buy Seasonal Fruits and Veggies by Month.

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