What's in Season This Summer: Your Guide to Summer Produce
Summer is here - and so is the produce we wait for all year: sun-ripened tomatoes, sweet stone fruits, juicy berries, fragrant herbs. And there's a real case for eating it while it's in season - produce in season is harvested at peak ripeness, which means it tastes better, contains more nutrients, and tends to be more affordable and sustainable too.
Here's your guide to what's in season right now in the Northeast.
What's in Season this Summer
Early Summer
beets, carrots, radish, asparagus, fresh herbs, rhubarb, broccoli, greens
Mid-Summer
cauliflower, zucchini, cucumbers, green beans, sugar snap peas, cherries, mixed greens, fresh herbs, new potatoes, garlic
Late Summer
eggplant, tomatoes, corn, peppers, melons, peaches, apricots, plums, blueberries, squash, apples
How to Shop for Summer Produce
Summer produce is at its best when it's fresh, so a few small habits go a long way:
Buy ripe, and eat it soon. Berries, peaches, and tomatoes are at their peak for only a few days. Buy what you'll actually use that week. Keep tomatoes on the counter and berries (unwashed until ready to eat) in the fridge. Store stone fruits on the counter until ripe, then move them to the low humidity fridge drawer.
Shop locally when you can. Local produce travels a shorter distance and arrives fresher - and summer is when farmers markets are at their fullest.
Trust your senses. A ripe peach smells like a peach. A good tomato feels heavy for its size. Bright color and firm-but-giving texture are your best signals.
Summer is the easiest season to eat well. The produce is doing all the work - you just have to show up and enjoy it. And if you'd rather hand that off entirely, Easyfeast builds your menu around what's fresh and in season, so your household gets the best of summer without any of the planning.
Sources:
American Heart Association. (2024, July 12). The ripe stuff: Why seasonal eating can be a healthy delight. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2024/07/12/why-seasonal-eating-can-be-a-healthy-delight
GrowNYC. (n.d.). What's in season. https://grownyc.org/whats-available/
Healthline. (2025, April 25). Your guide to eating in season for summer. https://www.healthline.com/health/eating-in-season-for-summer
Seasonal Food Guide. (n.d.). New York seasonal produce. https://www.seasonalfoodguide.org/
The Spruce Eats. (2022, December 22). A monthly guide to the Northeast's seasonal fruits and vegetables. https://www.thespruceeats.com/seasonal-fruits-and-vegetables-of-the-northeast-4165314