Here in America, we’ve gotten pretty good at keeping a steady supply of all the things in grocery stores year round.
In fact, it’s been that way for so long, that most of us don’t even think about changing the way we eat from season to season. Why should we? We know what we like, and we like what we know.
But just because we can get almost everything all year long, doesn’t mean that the prices don’t fluctuate.
Paying attention to seasonal prices can help keep your grocery budget low, and add variety on a super low budget like the $20 shopping plan.
That’s because different vegetables have different optimal growing climates, so while you can still eat a wide variety cheaply when you buy frozen produce, when it comes to fresh, depending on the weather, your produce may have to be shipped farther, hiking the price up quite a bit.
For instance, if you live in Michigan, you’ve probably noticed that fresh peaches cost a pretty penny in December, but that they’re very affordable in June.
I’ve noticed that here, cabbage gets pretty cheap in the late winter and early spring – because late winter weather is perfect for cabbage growing here in central Texas! So this is when we buy and eat a lot of cabbage, and buy even more to make sauerkraut out of.
Every list of seasonal veggies will need a little bit of tweaking to make it fit your area, but here’s a general idea of what you can expect:
Winter
- Apples
- Beets
- Bok Choy
- Brussel Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Chard
- Collard greens
- Grapefruit
- Kale
- Leeks
- Lettuce
- Onions
- Oranges
- Parsnips
- Potatoes
- Pumpkins
- Rutabagas
- Spinach
- Turnips
- Winter Squash
Spring
- Apricots
- Artichokes
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Bok Choy
- Broccoli
- Celery
- Cabbage
- Squash
- Kale
- Peas
- Radishes
- Rhubarb
- Spinach
- Green onions
- Snow Peas
- Strawberries
Summer
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Cucumbers
- Watermelon
- Figs
- Grapes
- Peppers
- Green Beans
- Okra
- Peaches
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
- Honeydew
- Eggplant
- Rasberries
- Summer Squash
- Corn Plums
- Peas
- Pears
Fall
- Apples
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery Collard Greens
- Pumpkin
- Pineapples
- Rutabagas
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Turnips
- Winter Squash
Pick out the veggies you like, try a few new ones, track their prices throughout the year, be open minded.
That is how eating seasonally saves you money.
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Mei-Ling says
It is wonderful to eat seasonally, but unfortunately many of the cheap seasonal foods are in EWG’s dirty dozen list, and should just be bought organic because of the high dosage if pesticides etc. I guess a local organic CSA can be a good option but it’s still about $35 a week. The one near us has some low-income shares though, so people who apply ahead of time can get it at half-price. One can also buy according to the Clean 15, conventional produce that is lower in pesticides. Thanks for your article!