Life
9 In-Season Fruits and Veggies for September
Summer is a great season for fresh produce—all those berries and melons and salad greens. But fall is arguably an even better time for seasonal produce. Think apples! Pumpkins! Brussels sprouts! [My excitement over that last one may put me in a minority.] In-season fruits and vegetables tend to taste better, be better for the environment and have higher nutrient levels, since you can buy it from local producers instead of picked, preserved and shipped from far-off lands. Specific seasonal produce will vary based on your location, of course. But here's a general guide to the freshest fruits and veggies for September.
Summer is a great season for fresh produce—all those berries and melons and salad greens. But fall is arguably an even better time for seasonal produce. Think apples! Pumpkins! Brussels sprouts! [My excitement over that last one may put me in a minority.] In-season fruits and vegetables tend to taste better, be better for the environment and have higher nutrient levels, since you can buy it from local producers instead of picked, preserved and shipped from far-off lands. Specific seasonal produce will vary based on your location, of course. But here's a general guide to the freshest fruits and veggies for September.
Pears
Pears started hitting the scene in August, but they'll stick around throughout the fall. Makes it almost bearable that berries won't be around much longer.
Photo: Dimitar Nikolov.
Pumpkin
Yes, it's the season for pumpkin-spice lattes and pumpkin-flavored beers. Don't forget it's also a great time to eat some pumpkin, too. Pumpkin adds an oh-so-fall flair to salads. And it goes just as well on pizza pies as the kind you serve with whipped cream.
Cauliflower
Though it tends to be available all year at the supermarket, cauliflower is a cool-season crop that comes into its own around September. If you want the freshest cauliflower your local farmers have to offer, now is the time to snap some up.
Cranberries
Though better-associated with late fall and winter, cranberries will arrive on the seasonal scene this month.
Rutabagas
I don't know many people who get excited about rutabagas. But if you're one of the few: Good news! September marks the beginning of rutabagas season in the U.S. (as well as that of root veggie counterparts such as turnips).
Photo: Purdue University Extension
Apples
Apples start coming into season around July, but September through November are peak apple orchard months. Cider, anybody?
Brussels Sprouts
If I've one complaint about summer produce, it's the lack of fresh Brussels sprouts. Thank goodness these little balls of cruciferous goodness come back into season around September. And they'll stay in peak season through February.
Photo: Purdue University
Figs
Though figs have a short in-season period in early summer, they then fall out of season for a few months. Sweet, satisfyingly chewy and packed with nutrients, figs are really an underrated fruit. Show them your appreciation by adding some into your snack repertoire this month, when they'll start making their seasonal comeback.
Photo: Dmitri Popov
Winter Squash
Say goodbye to that paltry squash summer serves up and start loading your basket with acorn, spaghetti and butternut squash. Though they're collectively known as "winter squash," they actually start appearing in the fall.
