What Fruit Is In Season Right Now?

Strawberries

Strawberries come first into the market during early spring and rank best as the seasonal fruits. You may find them all around the year and yet they are fresher and taste better during the current season.

Select berries that are bright red with fresh green tops - and hey, guess what, you can store them in the refrigerator and they’ll last up to five days.

Rhubarb

Fresh rhubarb reaches the markets very early in spring, and the flavor is tart. Long red or green stalks are the common offerings that find their way into pies and desserts.

Rhubarb in its fruit form loses freshness after a few days; therefore, they are best eaten fresh. But if you are very particular with it, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Pineapple

Available year-round, but in their natural season, pineapples peak in the spring. For maximum flavor, pineapples should have a gold-yellow color and smell sweet.

Grapefruit

Fresh grapefruit is really great-tasting, tangy, and refreshing enough to brighten up your breakfast or salads. Choose firm fruits with a slight give; they should be stored in the refrigerator to keep fresh for a couple of weeks.

Kiwi

Kiwi is available all year, but fresh locally harvested varieties often show up in late spring. These small, fuzzy fruits have a sweet-tart flavor and are a great way to add a little tropical flair to spring dishes.

Cherries

Late spring brings in cherries, which carry on into summer. Fresh cherries are best when they're firm and a deep red, offering a juicy burst of flavor. They are commonly sold fresh in grocery stores throughout the season.

Blueberries

Fresh spring blueberries are plump and juicy with deep blue color. Pick firm, evenly colored berries for the best flavor and store them in the refrigerator up to 10 days.

Apricots

In season, apricots have a soft, velvety skin and a sweet, tangy taste. They have a short lifespan, so it is ideal to consume them fresh, several days after purchase.

Peaches

Available all year canned or frozen, fresh peaches start showing up in late spring. The early ones are smaller and firmer, and great for snacking. As the season progresses the fruit gets sweeter and juicier. 

Nectarines

They can be found throughout the year but the fresh type is divine this season. Select smooth and aromatic nectarines, which you should leave to ripen at room temperature.

Watermelon

Early summer is the prime season for watermelons, and they are just refreshing in hot weather. While buying choose a yellow field spot that designates the green-skinned watermelons as ripe.

These watery fruits are usually eaten fresh, but they will also keep in the refrigerator up to one week once cut.

Raspberries

Raspberries are sweet with a sour note they burst flavors in your mouth. While tender, fresh raspberries is a seasonal fruit; they are best enjoyed by picking them from the shrub in summer. But if you wish to store them, the most effective method is to freeze them.

Blackberries

These dark berries are in season during mid to late summer and are sweet but have that perfect tartness. Blackberries can be eaten fresh, or used for making a dessert.

Plums

Plums come into ripeness during early summer and last into late summer. This stone fruit ranges from tart into sweet taste offering varieties of flavors. You have to allow plums to soften at room temperature before refrigerating them for extended shelf life.

Figs

Fresh figs reach their peak in late summer and carry a honeyed sweetness with them. They are extemely sweet and best when eaten ripe. Figs are arguably the most perishable of fruits and for this reason they are best eaten as soon as possible.

Grapes

The end of summer brings on grapes to full-season ripeness. Grapes are one of the fast growing fruits, each with crisp, sweet, or tart bite is perfect just fresh or in salads.

Mangoes

Mangoes bring a burst of tropical sweetness. These golden fruits blend best in smoothies, salads, or eaten fresh. When buying, select those which are smooth to the touch and have a good smell.

Pears

Late summer is the right time for pears to ripen, they are hard and tasty and have juicy texture and sweet taste. Pears are picked when they are still green and continue to ripen, let them to rest in the room until they soften.

Apples

Apples reach a peak early in fall with varieties providing sweet, tart, or crisp flavors. Fresh apples are ideal for eating raw, baking, or for cider. Place them in a cool, dark place or the refrigerator where they can last for weeks.

Pomegranates

Pomegranates start to ripen when their jewel-like seeds pop with vibrant sweetness and a touch of tartness. Fresh and full of anti-oxidants, these fruits can be enjoyed in salads, smoothies, or on their own.

Cranberries

Available by late autumn, cranberries are harvested into the winter months. These sour but vibrant berries make wonderfully flavored sauces and jams, as well as baked goods.

Pears

Some types of pears are ripe even at the end of summer, other varieties reach their full ripeness during early autumn. Sweet and juicy - just what one needs for snacking and baking.

Figs

Figs are picked for a second time during the start of the autumn. Fresh figs are best eaten, although they can be kept in the refrigerator for about several days. It can be used in desserts, salads, or eaten as a healthy snack.

Persimmons

Just around late fall, the Persimmon really starts to 'ripen up', with a honeyed sweetness that is unrivaled eaten fresh or baked into goods. For the best flavor, choose soft jelly-like fruits while buying.

Quinces

Quinces are fall fruits and come into season in late autumn. They have a fine, perfumy floral aroma and are best for cooking. They're hard and sour raw but they melt and sweeten upon baking or stewing.

Kiwi

Starting to come into season at the end of autumn, kiwi fruits are a tropical burst of citrus, and sweet flavor. Their fuzzy skin protects juicy flesh inside. Store kiwis at room temperature until soft; then refrigerate to keep fresh for a few more days.

Feijoa

These are trees that begin fruiting well into the autumn season. If you want to taste pineapple and guava, you will get almost the same taste in feijoa. They can be refrigerated for one week after they are harvested.

Pineapples

Cold weather adds a tropical flavor to the seasonal equation with pineapples. The pineapples are sweet smelling and should feel a little soft when one is pressed on. They can be left at room temperature until they soften or can be refrigerated for 2-3 days.

Citrus (Oranges, Grapefruits, Lemons)

Citrus time - early winter - explodes with sweet and sour from oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. These fruits are most popular at this time of the year and can be found just about anywhere.

Kumquats

These are small citrus fruits are sweet and sour in taste. They can be enjoyed as a whole fruit, including their skin, as snacks or desserts.

Pomegranates

Though pomegranates peak in the fall, they continue to be available into early winter. Their bright jewel-like seeds bring sweetness and acidity to winter dishes. The seeds can be stored a few days in the refrigerator or frozen for longer use.

Dates

These can be found in late winter, mostly the varieties called Medjool. Dates are so smooth, so sweet, with a deep, velvety caramel flavor - you can enjoy them plain or incorporate into other recipes. And they also have a very long shelf life and can be kept in normal temperature or in the refrigerator for several months.

Pomelos

The largest citrus fruit, pomelos are in season during late winter. This thick-skinned, juicy fruit with sweet-tart taste is very welcoming during cold winter months.

Passion Fruit

Passion fruit starts to come into market in late winter. It's wrinkled skin masks a perfumy interior that's both tart and sweet, and full of seeds. Store passion fruit at room temperature until full ripeness, then store in the refrigerator for a few days for best flavor.

• Bananas
• Apples
• Avocados
• Banana Squash
• Cranberries
• Lemons
• Olives
• Papayas

How can something be out of season and in season all year? Well, if the fruit is out of season in your region then it is more than likely in season in another part of the country.

Although not as fresh as your local farmer's market they are still fresher than having to import from foreign regions.

Another reason is the cross-breeding of hardy fruits from colder regions with those of hotter regions, allowing the resulting species to be summer and winter tolerant. Letting us produce them all year-round.

After stocking up on seasonal produce and enjoying some of them at their peak ripeness, we are sure that you want to continue having them throughout the year.

1. Freezing

Freezing is a process somewhat different from refrigeration, although it is truly one of the simpler and more convenient methods on our list. Ideally, the produce would have no more preparation than a rinse before being dried and packed into a freezer bag and then placed in the freezer.

Fruits such as apple, apricots are packed in cold syrup adding ascorbic acid 1¼ tsp /liter. Before freezing, blanching is necessary for fruits. Blanch fruits in boiling water before putting into freezer.

2. Drying

Drying products in a space with good air circulation can remove 80-95% of the moisture making your food shelf stable for the long term. You can also use an oven at low temperature in a jiffy. 

Fruits are best dried in a dehydrator after blanching and cutting them up into small pieces. 

3. Jam

Although making jams requires more effort on your part, you can still make a batch of them in less than 30 minutes. Jams also preserve the flavor of the fruits much better than other preservation methods.

To make jam, juice the fruits and mix with recipe-specified pectin, bring to full boil. Then add sugar, stir, skim, and fill the jar with jam. Finish it up by processing it in a water bath canner via boiling to prevent the growth of bacteria. Do not skip sugar as it helps create jelly with pectin as well as lock the flavor.

4. Pickles

Pickles are fruits marinated in a brine solution and then refrigerated. The quick-pickling method takes less than fifteen minutes. Some fruits that are ideal for quick pickling are apples, pears, pomelo, and papaya.

Seal cut fruits in a jar with brine and ensure that it has an air-tight seal. Then, place the jar in the refrigerator for at least 2 days.

Enhanced Flavor

Fruits that are in season possess a richness and depth to their flavor that is simply unmatched when compared to off-season produce for one simple reason. Locally grown, farm-fresh foods are harvested at ideal ripeness which is where you get the fullest flavors which start to deteriorate on an hourly basis. 

Produce that has to be shipped and distributed is picked before it reaches peak freshness and has traveled an average of 1,500 miles (2,400 km) before arriving to you.

To Avoid "Technically In-Season" Produce 

It can be challenging to decide which fruits and vegetables to buy, especially when several non-all seasonal produce are accessible in the marketplace all year round due to the advent of greenhouses, modern storage methods, and foreign multi-regional global trade across the sea.

While this foreign freighted produce can technically be classified as "in-season grown" for their local regions, they get harvested before peak ripeness and only arrive after a few months, we will only refer to those brought in by local farmers which tend to be on the same week of harvest and at peak ripeness.

Cost-Effective

As stated previously, most off-season American produce travels 1,500 miles (2,400 km) on land before arriving at your local market. Let's not forget the sea component, Chinese produce travels a distance of  5,785 nautical miles (9,310 km), and European produce, 4,302 nautical miles (7,967 km) before arriving.

When contrasted with the distance to be traveled by your local farmers just around the bend of the town, it's clear which option is more eco-friendly and green for the planet.

Environmental Benefits

When looking at environmental benefits, farming for off-seasonal produce, farmers utilize various chemicals to ensure off-seasonal harvesting. Ethylene is utilized to artificially ripen the fruits which is produced from calcium carbide which also contains trace amounts of arsenic and phosphorous.

While auxins, gibberellins, along with dip-baths of cycocel and waxol, etc are utilized to delay the ripening process. Needless to say, all of the chemicals involved are highly toxic to human, plant, and animal life with no guarantee of it washing off properly.