Our gardens may have been put to rest once cooler weather hit, while others have made use of hoop houses and low tunnels to protect crops. Either way, there are plenty of fruits and vegetables that are grown during the winter months — just about as many as are available in spring, actually!
Keep yourself and your family healthy this season by sticking to meals where half of your plate consists of fruits and vegetables, per USDA recommendations. There are plenty of staples in season during winter, like apples, bananas, oranges, carrots and sweet potatoes, as well as potential to introduce fruits and vegetables to your diet that you wouldn’t normally eat, like Brussels sprouts and leeks. Remember that fresh, canned, frozen, dried and 100% juice all qualify as servings of fruit and vegetables.
The following list of produce in season during winter is adapted from the United States Department of Agriculture SNAP-Ed Connection.
What’s in season during winter
- Apples
- Bananas
- Beets
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Celery
- Grapefruit
- Kale
- Leeks
- Lemons
- Onions
- Oranges
- Parsnips
- Pears
- Pineapples
- Potatoes
- Pumpkins
- Rutabagas
- Sweet potatoes
- Turnips
- Winter squash
- Yams
Where to find in-season produce
Some farmers markets close up shop from the end of fall until spring, but others remain open during winter. Contact local farmers markets to find out if they’re open. Local supermarkets will also have in-season produce available.
Online columnist Ivory Harlow offers five ways to extend the season for your home garden, including row covers and planting cold hardy crops. You can also grow vegetables and herbs indoors over winter.
Related:
- How to eat seasonally this spring
- How to eat seasonally this summer
- How to eat seasonally this fall
- 10 ways to eat 7 servings of fruits and vegetables every day
- National Nutrition Month®: Focus on a healthy lifestyle
- 10 superfoods to add to your diet
