One of the most important aspects of an excellent recipe is the quality of the ingredients you put into it. It doesn’t matter how well you cook or how flawless the recipe, it won’t be good if what you put into isn’t good.

Think garbage in, garbage out.
With that being said, fruits and vegetables are best used when they are at the height of their season. Produce consumed in the proper season will be fresher, tastier, and more nutritious than produce consumed outside of its season.
Peaches bought in winter are going to be small, tough, and flavorless. Peaches bought at the peak of their season in the summertime will explode with flavor when you bite into them.
Below you’ll find a good starting point for picking what vegetables to cook, based on the seasons.
Spring
Apples | Celery | Onions |
Apricots | Collard Greens | Peas |
Artichokes | Garlic | Pineapples |
Asparagus | Kale | Radishes |
Avocados | Kiwifruit | Rhubarb |
Bananas | Lemons | Spinach |
Broccoli | Lettuce | Strawberries |
Cabbage | Limes | Swiss Chard |
Carrots | Mushrooms | Turnips |
Summer
Apples | Cherries | Okra |
Apricots | Corn | Peaches |
Avocados | Cucumbers | Plums |
Bananas | Eggplant | Raspberries |
Beets | Garlic | Strawberries |
Bell Peppers | Green Beans | Summer Squash |
Blackberries | Honeydew Melon | Tomatillos |
Blueberries | Lemons | Tomatoes |
Cantaloupe | Lima Beans | Watermelon |
Carrots | Limes | Zucchini |
Celery | Mangos |
Fall
Apples | Ginger | Peas |
Bananas | Grapes | Pineapples |
Beets | Green Beans | Potatoes |
Bell Peppers | Kale | Pumpkin |
Broccoli | Kiwifruit | Radishes |
Brussels Sprouts | Lemons | Raspberries |
Cabbage | Lettuce | Rutabagas |
Carrots | Limes | Spinach |
Cauliflower | Mangos | Sweet Potatoes |
Celery | Mushrooms | Swiss Chard |
Collard Greens | Onions | Turnips |
Cranberries | Parsnips | Winter Squash |
Garlic | Pears |
Winter
Apples | Grapefruit | Pears |
Avocados | Kale | Pineapples |
Bananas | Kiwifruit | Potatoes |
Beets | Leeks | Pumpkin |
Brussels Sprouts | Lemons | Rutabagas |
Cabbage | Limes | Sweet Potatoes |
Carrots | Onions | Swiss Chard |
Celery | Oranges | Turnips |
Collard Greens | Parsnips | Winter Squash |
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