Here’s your September seasonal produce guide! Check out the best in season fruits and vegetables to buy at the Farmer’s Markets and grocery stores. Use with your September Meal Plan for quick dinners this month!
September is that time of year where hints of Autumn start to spring up.
My garden is still producing plenty of summer veggies but we are yearning for cooler weather and PUMPKINS!
Many of these lingering summer fruits and veggies are being added to school lunches and frozen for use throughout the winter. This tutorial shows you how to freeze blueberries. I know this will be handy when I’m craving blueberry cheesecake smoothies in January!
Why eat seasonal produce?
Most fruits and vegetables are available year round in the grocery stores. However, you should still shop for September seasonal produce for a few reasons.
- Seasonal produce is healthier. When you buy fruits and vegetables in their peak season, you will gain the best nutrients from the produce.
- Seasonal produce tastes better. Food bought in peak season has the best flavor. It can grow abundantly in the ground and flourishes with the right amount of sunshine. If you’ve ever bought hot-house strawberries off season, you know what I mean! They just don’t taste quite as juicy and sweet as in season berries.
- Seasonal produce is cheaper. I’m all about saving money where I can, and buying produce in season is always cheaper! Fruits and veggies will grow in abundance when it is peak season and because of that, the markets will reduce the prices.
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September Seasonal Produce Guide
Apples
Apples are in season during most of the summer and fall, but now is when they really start to taste the best! Apple picking is a great way to get the kids involved with knowing where their food comes from. As well as making it exciting to get nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin K.
- Overnight Apple Pie Oatmeal
- Homemade Apple Butter
- Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Sweet Potato and Apple Breakfast Bake
Carrots
Carrots tend to be a cooler weather crop, so if temperatures are dropping in your area in September, these root veggies will be ready for eating! High in vitamins K and C, fiber, potassium, and antioxidants carrots are a great staple for any meal!
- Zucchini Muffins with Apples and Carrots
- Spiced Carrot Bread
- Vegetable Pasta Primavera
- Carrot Top Pesto (don’t throw away the carrot greens!)
Cauliflower
Although available year-round, cauliflower does tend to do best when temps start to drop. It’s not the most exciting vegetable but can pop with flavor if cooked in just the right way! Full of folate, vitamins C, K, and B, this is a great vegetable to keep on the table.
- Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
- Cocoa Toasted Cauliflower
- Crispy Cauliflower Rice
- Instant Pot Steamed Vegetables
Chili Peppers
Contrary to popular belief, chili peppers are great for digestive health! The capsaicin improves digestive function and can help with weight loss. Hot peppers are also high in vitamins A and C promoting strong immune systems and help against allergies. If you can handle the heat, add a bit to your next dish!
Corn
Fresh corn is a summer crop and you’ll start seeing the end of it in September seasonal produce. Enjoy it while you can! Full of fiber and vitamins A, B, and E, you’ll be sure to gain lots of nutrients with this tasty food. If you have the right tools, canning corn at home is a great option to store it away for winter!
Cucumber
Cucumbers are still growing strong in home gardens and at the Farmer’s Markets. If you’re getting an overabundance, don’t hesitate to make pickles! Cucumbers are high in potassium and phosphorus as well as vitamin C. With their high water content they are great for snacking on the lingering hot days at the end of summer.
Eggplants
One approach to making sure you’re getting a variety of nutrients from your vegetables is to “eat the rainbow”. Adding eggplants to your table is a great way to get purple color nutrition in your diet. They are high in fiber, protein, and manganese, low in calories, and a good source of antioxidants.
Grapes
If you’re anything like me, you’ve been watching the grape prices like a hawk. It seems like they went up in price mid-summer, but now that we’re cooling down just a tad, they are back in season. Perfect for school lunches, grapes are a favorite addition to the grocery list!
- Salad with Red Grapes and Feta
- Creative Healthy Snacks for Kids (if you need something more fun than a bowl of grapes!)
- Chicken Salad with Grapes
Green Beans
These tasty summer veggies are still in season! If you have a chance to shop the farmer’s market, you can probably find different varieties of green beans like string beans, snap beans, wax beans, purple beans, and Romano beans. This guide breaks down the types of green beans.
They all have similar nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, B6, and folic acid, calcium, iron, and potassium. If plain ole green beans aren’t a hit at the table, try something a little bit different!
Melons
Watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe melons are delicious additions to school lunches and afternoon snacks! Hydrating and full of nutrients like vitamins A, B, and C. Plus various minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
Peaches
Peaches are delicious! They come in white and red varieties, and related are nectarines which are also too good to pass up. Stone fruits are a rich source of potassium, vitamin A, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. I’m a big fan of plain peach slices with homemade vanilla bean ice cream. YUM.
- Slow Cooker Peach Cobbler
- How to Freeze Strawberries (use this method and have peachy goodness all year long!)
- Oatmeal Peach Breakfast Crumble
Pears
I always think pears should be in season in summer, but actually September through early winter are the best times for pears. Pears are especially rich in folate, vitamin C, copper, and potassium. They come in many varieties but the most common are bosc, bartlett, and anjou.
Pumpkins
Can you believe we are about to hit PUMPKIN SEASON! (I get a little excited.) You may not see many in early September, but by the end of the month, the most amazing orange squashes will be out and about everywhere! Pumpkins are super high in vitamin A.
Raspberries
I think I mentioned in last month’s produce guide that berries were on their way out of season. This is your last chance for fresh raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries! I’m all about freezing them for use all year long.
Tomatoes
It’s your last call for fresh tomatoes. Your garden may be petering out and the bright red tomatoes at the farmer’s market are getting a little weak in color. They are high in vitamin C, A, and K. Plus tomatoes have high amounts of lycopene which is great for heart health. So be sure to stock up and can diced tomatoes for winter!
Zucchini
It’s also the end of the season for summer squash like zucchini. (I’m sure some of you are rejoicing! LOL!) Zucchini has high amounts of vitamin C, carbohydrates, and protein!
- Parmesan Butter Zoodles
- Death By Chocolate Zucchini Mug Cake
- Skillet Veggie Pizza Pasta
- Zucchini and Apple Muffins
Need more ways to save on groceries?
- How to Make a Frugal Grocery Budget
- How to Have a Pantry Challenge
- 13 Ways to Use Food Scraps
- Food Substitutions that Save You Money
Love this post! Thank you for the shout-out to my Cocoa-Toasted Cauliflower recipe 🙂