In Season Fruits and Veggies

In order to get the best deal for produce I shop for in season fruits and vegetables.Not only are they cheaper but they taste better. A tomato in February does not taste as good as an August tomato no matter what you do. That being said, I live in Michigan and we can have harsh winters (2011 excluded). I set out to find what types of produce were in season from December to March and was a bit surprised at the list. I thought the list was going to be short, but I found many things I could work with.


 Fruits
Apples
Clementines
Grapefruit
Kiwi
Kumquats
Lemons
Mandarins
Oranges (navel)
Persimmons
Pommelos (in the grapefruit family)
Tangerines

Veggies
Beets
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Collard Greens
Escarole
Horseradish
Fennel
Kale
Leeks
Kohlrabi
Mushrooms
Onions
Potatoes
Parsnips
Radishes (large varieties)
Rapini (a bit like broccoli)
Rutabagas
Spinach
Jerusalem artichokes
Sweet Potatoes
Turnips
Butternut Squash
Acorn Squash

That is quite a lot to choose from!! Now not all are grown in Michigan but they are grown in the US. This list should provide you with fresher tasting and cheaper produce because it doesn't have to travel as far in a truck. 

Need ideas on how to get your little ones (and maybe big guys too) to eat these fruits and veggies? I am pretty sure The Losing It Boys would try anything as long as they could dip it in something. Hummus, salsa, and ranch dressing all lend to carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower.

We cook and puree up squash to add to mac and cheese or spread thin on a tortilla and add some cheddar to make a quesadilla. Puree sweet potato can be substituted for the liquid in your favorite pancake mix/recipe. Many of the greens can be added to frozen berries for a green monster smoothie.

Do you have any recipes using anything from the above list? Please share in the comments below, we would love to hear them.