6 fruits you should get while they’re in season
With easy access to massive supermarkets, you’re probably able to find your favorite fruit year-round. That’s because most chain grocery stores outsource their produce production to other countries in the colder months. During the summer season, however, many fruits flourish at local farms. So when you eat in accordance with the summer season, you have a better chance of enjoying locally cultivated produce at peak ripeness. Plus, it’s usually cheaper due to the law of supply and demand (the supply increases while demand remains relatively the same). Don’t miss your chance to savor these six fruits while they’re still in season this summer.
- Watermelon.
It’s not really summer until you’ve sunk your teeth into that first sweet slice of watermelon. Watermelons—and all melons, in general—won’t abound for that much longer, so get your fill now. Enjoy your watermelon sliced, diced, or tossed into a smoothie or slushie. - Grapes.
Grapes are naturally sweet enough to satisfy your dessert cravings, but without any of the refined sugar in your typical treat. Snag a bunch of black, red, or white grapes before summertime comes to a close. Pro tip: After washing your grapes, pop them in the freezer. Frozen grapes taste even sweeter and offer a fun alternative to frosty items like popsicles and ice cream. Just make sure you slice them in half before offering grapes to small children, frozen or not. - Blackberries.
Rife with antioxidants, blackberries pack a powerful nutritional punch. They’re also sweet enough to serve as dessert. So before the calendar flips to September and blackberries transform back into a pricy, out-of-season indulgence, speckle a few of them on your morning yogurt or top a handful with whipped cream for a light summertime dessert. - Blueberries.
Generally, the deeper the hue of a fruit or vegetable, the healthier it is. Like blackberries, blueberries certainly follow this guideline. They contain powerful anti-inflammatory compounds—and they’re also delicious when you get a good seasonal batch. Pick up a pint at the store and decorate your overnight oats with the plump berries. - Mangoes.
If you want to try something new this summer, consider picking up a ripe mango at the market. Yes, this mango will inevitably come from a far-off country—no amount of summer sunshine makes the U.S. an amenable environment for mango trees—but it’s still in-season during the summer months. This means you’ll have a better chance of scoring a sweet, perfectly tender version of this tropical fruit. - Peaches.
Paired with ice cream or perfectly charred on the grill, peaches are a versatile and tasty summer fruit. Carefully select a few ripe peaches from the pile at the grocery store and bring them home to enjoy raw, grilled, or sliced over a bowl of granola. No matter how you choose to savor your peach, just one bite of the juicy fruit will envelop your taste buds in summer vibes.
Seasonal Foods: August [Woman’s Day]
What’s in Season? August Produce [Cookie + Kate]
Seasonality Chart: Fruit and Nuts [Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture]