This makes shopping for fruits in season give your meals the fullest flavor with the least amount of money.
With the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, knowing what produce is at its best ripeness is a way to make better choices at the grocery store and make the most of what you can remember.
The Reason Why Opting to use Seasonal Produce is important
The currently in-season fruits have better taste, nutrition and cost than those that are out-of-season.
Upon changing to purchasing only those produce that is in season, as provided by my local farmers market in September, the outcome was astonishing, not only did my grocery bill reduce by 35% but my families enjoyment of meals was high.
This month continues to offer late summer berries, as well as apples and pears of prime season, and offers ideal prospects of different meal planning.
September Fruits: 100% Seasonal Guide
Prime Apple Season Arrives
It would be impossible to complete September seasonal produce without apples playing the leading role.
Most varieties of apples are in their harvesting season during the month of September and also have outstanding flavor combinations in different contexts of cooking.
The September months of produce have early and mid-season types of apples that present crisp texture and balanced sweet flavor.
Different varieties are used in particular applications- some are better in pies, others in sauces, some are better eaten raw.
Best uses for apples:
- Making pies, crisps, and cobblers
- Preparing apple butter and applesauce
- Fresh eating and salads
- Preparing food that is savory and with pork or chicken
Pears Come Into Season
Bosc pears are added to Bartlett varieties which now became available in late summer, and give you more on tree in season choices.
Pears are also unlike most fruits because they are better when picked when they are not fully ripened. Pears ripening on the tree also acquire a mealy and woody taste.
Pear varieties such as the Anjou, bosc and Comice need to be stored in the cold to achieve ideal maturity. At the farmers markets, vendors will tell when the pears will be ripe when buying them.
Late Summer Berries
This month the last summer berries might still be around before they are gone. Take advantage of blackberries, raspberries and strawberries when they are available. Now these are the fruits of the season that will not come back until the summer.
Berries work beautifully in:
- Fruits and fresh desserts, fruit salads
- Breakfast bowls and Smoothies
- Jams and preserves
- Baked goods, such as muffins and cobblers
Grapes at Peak Sweetness
The months of August and September are the months of the grape harvest in the United States.
Grapes sold at the farmers market are usually sweeter than those in grocery stores since local farmers do not harvest the grapes as soon as the grape is ready, and thus, natural sugars have time to build up.
Concord grapes are incredibly close to the taste of grape juice, with its sweet rich taste. Muscat grapes have floral and dessert wine flavors and they have the characteristic greenish-rose colouring.
The natural sugar content of Cotton Candy grapes is 12 percent higher than the average types and makes the consumption of the fruit extraordinarily sweet.
Figs Reach Prime Season
The month of September is a good fig month as there are green and brown fig varieties. Fragrant figs present the coming of autumn and are syrupy sweet when fully ripe.
The production of fig in commerce happens in Mediterranean climates and hence availability is dependent on the region.
Check specialty stores such as Trader Joe and Whole Foods unless local markets have figs. Buy only what you can eat within days- ripe figs do not last long in the refrigerator, they only last 2-3 days.
Melons and Stone Fruits Final
Fruits such as honeydew, cantaloupe, plums, and other summer fruits are still in stock in September but they are approaching their end of the season quickly.
These in-season September harvests give last chances for summer-themed recipes.
When is nectarine season? The picking season of nectarines starts in July and August and the season is terminated at the month of September. remaining purchase items to be canned or frozen.
Read also: Ultimate Instant Pot Wild Rice Recipe: My Go-To Comfort Recipe
Other Fruits of September
Fruits in season now include:
- Pomegranates (as yet unfledged)
- Cranberries (early arrivals)
- Persimmons
- Asian pears
- Quince
Local differences in Seasonal Availability
Fruit in season now California is different as compared to other areas because of the long growing seasons and varying microclimates. California is the producer of year round citrus and long berry seasons.
California has fruits in season that generally include:
- Long grape harvest until October
- Further availability of stone fruits
- Citrus production throughout the year
- Persimmons and pomegranates begin early fall
Climate in your local area has a great influence on the fruits that are currently in season in your local area. Northern states have a shorter growing season whereas the southern areas have a long harvest season.
September Vegetables in Season
Although you are looking at fruits in season, do not forget about the vegetables in season that go with fall fruit dishes:
Vegetables that are in season in September include:
- Tomatoes (final weeks)
- Bell peppers
- Corn
- Summer squash
- Zucchini (wonder when is zucchini in season? Its highest season is June to September)
- Squash: Winter squash varieties have started
- Brussels sprouts starting
- Sweet potatoes
- Root vegetables
In September, it is the time of cranberries, grapes, pomegranates, pears, pumpkins, and apples as the traditional flavors of fall.
Seasonal vegetables available in September are on the border with the summer, with new combining possibilities. Pepper blackberries and pepo yellow, or sweet potatoes with blackberries roasted, etc.
Planning using a Fruit Season Chart
The knowledge of seasonal food that can be acquired under the topic of fruit season chart assists in planning the meals and shopping adventures. Various fruits mature at a certain time, which influences the taste, cost and supply.
Highlights of September season:
- Peak: Pears, figs, grapes, apples
- Conclusion: Berries, stone fruits, melons
- Starting: Pomegranates, cranberries, persimmons
Fruit Picking Season
Picking of fruits is a common family activity in the September seasonal months. Numerous orchards have pick-your-own opportunities of apple, pear, and late-season berries.
Look in local farms to see what is in season in September.
Pick-your-own advantages:
- Significantly lower prices
- Freshest possible fruit
- Fun family experience
- Educational for children
Buying Seasonal Food
Best Location of Seasonal Fruits
- Farmers Markets: Direct farmers from producers in season September
- Local Fruits: Pick of the week fruit in season available
- CSA Boxes: Weekly selections of seasonal produce
- Grocery Stores: Bigger but less local
We choose Quality Seasonal Fruit
What is seasonal now is worthy of special attention:
- Feel the firmness that is befitting the fruit
- Smell typical fruit smell
- Examine bruising or tender areas
- Inquire of suppliers about harvest dates
Storing Seasonal Produce
Correct preservation prolongs the fruit of those seasons which are fresh currently:
- Apples: Refrigerate in crisper drawer, do not store with other fruits (give off ethylene gas)
- Pears: Ripen at room temperature, refrigerate afterwards
- Grapes: Refrigerate without washing, rinse under running water before eating
- Figs: Refrigerate immediately, use within 2-3 days
- Berries: Refrigerate without washing, rinse under running water before eating
Cooking September Produce
Fruits in Season Recipe Ideas
Use these methods to prepare maximum of fruits in season, especially in September:
Apple Preparations:
- Cinnamon apple pie
- Slow cooker applesauce
- Toast and biscuits with Apple butter
- Caramelized apple tarts
Pear Dishes:
- Poached pears in red wine
- Pear and blue cheese salad
- Roasted pears with honey
- Pear crisp with oat topping
Fig Creations:
- Appetizers Fresh fig and prosciutto
- Fig jam for cheese boards
- goat cheese, and figs, roasted
- Fig and honey tart
Maintaining the Abundance of Seasons
Where fruit in time of plenty superfluities: store too much to last in a winter:
- Freeze smoothie berries
- May applesauce and pear butter
- Make fruit jams and jellies
- Dehydrate apple chips
Read also: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Cucumbers for Pickling
Healthy Reasons to Eat Local
Sept is the time of year when food is at its finest nutritionally. Fruits harvested at the best stage have the best amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Nutritional advantages:
- Increased vitamin C level of in-season fresh fruits
- Improved antioxidant characteristics
- More useful plant substances
- Superior fiber content
Economic and Environmental Advantages
Purchasing products that are in the season helps the local produce and also minimizes environmental pollution.
Compared to out-of-season shopping that necessitates long distance shipping, seasonal shopping usually costs 20-50 per cent. less.
September agriculture depends on local buyers buying in-season produce September harvests which helps keep farms economically sustainable and helps to maintain agricultural fields.
What to Expect: October Preview
In season September becomes October with:
- Apple continued to be in peak season
- Pear season strengthening
- Pomegranates will then become widely available
- In full production the cranberries
- Types of winter squash that are growing
Premake preparations of what will be in the fridges in September and switch to October by filling up pantries with already preserved September seasonal fruit and other preparations of new varieties coming in.
Getting the most of the seasonal food
Knowing the fruits that are in season makes meal planning and grocery shopping a revolution. September is such an extraordinary month in terms of the fruits at the end of summer and beginning of fall.
The food that is available in September offers incredible food experiences. Combine end of summer berries and early fall apples in inventive ways. Sample blackberry and pear crisps, apple and fig tarts, grape and goat cheese salads.
Last Word on September Seasonal Produce
Fruits and vegetables that are available in September are the ideal month of the year to make a transition month when it comes to creative cooking.
In September, grab the best of the fruit, because supplies will be limited, and try combinations of new fruits and vegetables in September, and hoard them to enjoy in winter.
Go to the local farmers markets to see what is in season in your particular area of local farmers markets in September. Each region also has its own seasonal produce of September depending on the local climate and the growing conditions.
The question is what is the fruit of the season? responds in a very straightforward manner: September is the season of apples, pears, grapes, figs, late berries, melons, pomegranates and persimmons. This offers a variety of possibilities to enjoy tasty, inexpensive and healthy food all month.
Begin experimenting with vegetables and seasons as well as preparing all meals in season. Knowing what is in-season in September will make shopping the grocery store more fulfilling as well as help support local farming and have access to foods with the best taste.
What veggies are in season? Balance your purchases of fruit in September with purchases of vegetables in season such as tomatoes, peppers, corn, squash and early root vegetables.
Combining these foods that are in season in September make autumn meals memorable in commemoration of local harvest.