Fruits and Vegetables in Season by Month Chart

This post was sponsored by Fresh From Florida as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, however all opinions expressed are my own.

Finding locally grown fruits and vegetables is a little easier if you know when they are in season, what store to find them in, and how to spot locally grown food easily. Study the Fruits and Vegetables in Season by Month Chart, and check out the other tips on why it’s important to eat locally and seasonally. Plus, I’ve found a great way easily identify fruits and vegetables grown locally in Florida.

Why eat local & seasonally available produce?

Fresh – When I think about buying fruits and veggies, I want them to be super fresh. The vitamins and nutrients start diminishing as soon as they are harvested. The fresher the better.
Year-round – We can eat great local fruits and vegetables all year long, thanks to our Florida Farmers.
Environment – How could it possibly be better for the environment? If you buy an orange bought in Mexico, it will have to be shipped all the way to a store near you. Not only does it take a lot of natural resources, but also places more emissions into our environment.
Economy – Support the local economy by buying local. Money spent here stays here.
Farmers – Buying local means that you have the opportunity to get to know the people who are growing your food, and how they grow it.
Flavor – Fully ripe, fresh fruit may yield better taste. If food is shipped across the country to reach you, it has not only lost nutrients, but it may have lost some flavor too.

How to Easily Identify Fruits and Vegetables Grown Locally in Florida

Sometimes labels are misleading. I was speaking to a produce manager at a local supermarket asking about what fruits and vegetables are grown locally. I asked about a particular product that had “Made in the USA”, and “Lakeland FL” on it. I thought it was weird to put two places on them, figuring it was grown in Lakeland FL. The produce manager said actually, this product was packaged in Lakeland, but grown somewhere in the USA. Now that I know, it sounds like common sense, but it wasn’t my first assumption when reading the product.

It could have said “packaged” in Lakeland Florida but it didn’t, which is just a little misleading. Why it says “Made in the USA”, instead of just listing the specific place where it’s grown is a little beyond me.

I did however find an ingenious way to find food grown locally. Now, when I’m shopping for fruits and veggies, I have a simple and effective way to find local produce. I just look for the label that says “Fresh From Florida”. Visit the Fresh From Florida website to learn more.

What store do you find seasonal and local fruits and vegetables?

We have a ton of grocery stores where we live. We have all the normal supermarkets, and several natural or health food grocery stores to shop at. The only store I find fruits and vegetables marked with the “Fresh From Florida” label is at Publix.

Publix is a great place to shop, the staff are always very nice, and the store is very clean. I love getting fruits and vegetables at Publix because they always look great, plus I know that they carry locally grown fruits and veggies. A huge plus in my book.