Fall Harvest of Produce

Hard to believe that August is almost over, isn't it?  Well, it is.  And it's time to start thinking of what's seasonal for fall.                                                                                                                    

It can be confusing this day and time to walk into a grocery and plan to buy only seasonal produce.  You'll find all sorts of things out of season...How can you tell if it's currently in season?  First look at the country of origin.  If it's outside the U.S. and below the southern equator, it's in season for that part of the world but not ours.  This list should help keep you aware of what's in season for the next three months.

Fall- September, October, November
Apples
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Chinese Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery Root
Chicory
Cranberries
Cucumbers
Dates
Fennel
Grapes
Greens
Head or Iceberg Lettuce
Leaf Lettuce
Mushrooms
Nuts
Okra
Mandarin Oranges
Pears
Chile Peppers
Sweet Peppers
Persimmons
Pomegranates
Quince
Shallots
Spinach
Winter Squash
Star Fruit
Sweet Potatoes

As you can see there are a variety of fruits and vegetables, enough to allow plenty of variety in any diet.  Remember that seasonal foods are usually locally grown or provided by growers in nearby surrounding areas and are always the better priced foods because they are available in quantity.

I've already seen plenty of fresh U.S. grapes in the markets as well as fresh mandarins.  Aldi has mushrooms at $.79/punnet this week, too.  Keep your list handy and see if you can spot all the great seasonal buys in the sales ads.