What’s in Season November: Fruits & Vegetables

What's in season November

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November is a harvest month when lots of delicious fruits and vegetables are in season. It is a time to show gratitude and Thanksgiving with friends and family. It’s important to know what’s in season during November to enjoy and appreciate the many different fruits and vegetables available. And if you want to challenge yourself to get more fruits and vegetables onto your table, we can help with that too.

The Produce Moms Produce Challenge Calendar November
The Produce Moms The Produce Challenge® Calendar November

Seasonal Fruits You Have to Try in November

Eating lots of fruit every day is an important way to fortify your body with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. You need to be eating at least two cups of fruit every dayHere is our best list of what fruits are in season during November:

Mango

mangos are a delicious fruit for november

Sweet, tangy mangos are in season in November. You can find them year-round, but the best time to eat them is from mid-summer through winter. Mangos are a rich source of potassium, magnesium, mangiferin, and other essential vitamins that can lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and stabilize digestion. To pick a ripe mango, look for mangoes that are soft to the touch, not hard. Check out our fave mango recipes. 

Grapefruit

grapefruit is a delicious fruit for novemver

Grapefruit is an excellent low-calorie citrus packed with fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. Ruby red grapefruit season begins in November, and this delicious variety adds color and tartness to your fall and winter dishes. When picking a grapefruit, you should look for deep color and heavier weight. 

Kiwi

KIWI are delicious fruits for November

The uniquely tangy kiwi is another fruit you’ll want to introduce your family to in November. This fun bright green fruit is chock-full of vitamin C and dietary fiber to help boost your immune system and heart health. Ripe kiwis will be soft but not mushy. Check out these fun kiwi recipes

Honeycrisp Apple

Honeycrip apples are a delicious fruit for september

A favorite apple variety, Honeycrisp has a refreshingly sweet flavor that most people enjoy. Most grocery stores carry Honeycrisp apples year-round, but they are in peak season from September to November. Rich in fiber, Honeycrisp apples have many nutrients that benefit your eyes, heart, and liver. Need recipe ideas? You got to try these Honeycrisp apple recipes.

Papaya    

Papaya is a delicious fruit for September

Papaya is a sweet, soft, and fleshy exotic fruit that can be found year-round but is still in peak season during November. Eating papaya can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. Try one of these papaya recipes to elevate your next meal. A ripe papaya will be soft and yellow with a sweet musky smell. 

Cherry Tomatoes

tomatoes are a delicious fruit for november

Cherry tomatoes are a good way to get your veg in for the day. These tiny bursts of flavor can go in salads, appetizers, savory dishes, and more. Cherry tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, which helps to relieve stress and fortify your skin. 

Pomegranate

Pomegranits are a delicious fruit for November

Pomegranate seeds can be a bit time-consuming to peel, but their health benefits are worth the work. Loaded with antioxidants and vitamins, pomegranates are a tartly sweet fruit you can add to salads, meat dishes, or beverages.

Navel Orange

oranges are delicious fruit for november

Navel Oranges are what’s in season in November. This juicy citrus contains vitamin C and hesperidin to help prevent free radicals and boost the immune system. Oranges are an easy fruit to get into kids, but if you’re looking for some different recipes, you should try these.

Blueberries

Blueberries is a delicious fruit for September

Considered a super fruit full of antioxidants and vitamins, blueberries can be incorporated into loads of dishes for a healthy meal. You can eat dried, frozen, or fresh blueberries to access their many health benefits. Ripe blueberries are deep blue and plump with a dusting of gray on the surface.

Related Link: Blueberry Brie Grilled Cheese

Avocado

avocado sliced in half with the pit

Avocado is a low-calorie fruit with healthy fats that help lower cholesterol. Avocados are perfect for any meal. Add avocado to elevate your salad or favorite recipe for an easy way to add another fruit serving to your day. A ripe avocado is a dark purple color and should be soft but not squishy.

Lemon

Lemon is a delicious fruit for November

Lemons are another fruit you should be eating regularly for fiber, vitamin C, and other valuable minerals. Lemons help with weight management, digestion, and heart health. So squeeze a lemon onto your salad, fish, or other fall dishes to access these benefits. A ripe lemon is deep yellow and has some weight. If it is squishy, it’s too ripe.

D’Anjou Pear

Pear is a delicious fruit for november

D’Anjou pears have a sweet but earthy flavor that goes with any meal. A kid favorite, d’anjou pears are loaded with fiber and vitamins that promote digestion, a healthy heart, and reduced inflammation. A ripe d’anjou pear is soft near the stem but not mushy.

Cranberry

craneberries are a delicious fruit for November

The berry of the harvest season, cranberries should be on everyone’s table during November. This Thanksgiving staple helps for reducing blood pressure and lowering the risk of urinary tract infections. A ripe cranberry will bounce on your cutting board if you drop it from a few inches up. Check out our best cranberry recipes.

Pecan

pecans are delicious fruits for november

While pecans are seeds, they are technically fruits and a favorite seed to incorporate into fall cooking. Pecans are an excellent source of magnesium, potassium, healthy fats, and calcium. You can eat pecans plain, roasted, or as a topping on a salad, dessert, or dish. 

Which November seasonal fruits will you try during our Monthly Produce Challenge®️? Sign up to get access to more recipes, tips, and ideas to make healthy eating easy.

Related Link: What is a Farmer’s Market? What to Know Before Your First Trip

Seasonal Vegetables in November

When the US National MyPlate program recommends that half your plate should be vegetables (or four to five servings a day), families need to make it a priority. But eating that many veggies can be a challenge. Need veggie inspiration on what to put on your table this month? Here’s what’s in season in November for vegetables:

Celery

Celery is a delicious vegetable for September

A cool weather vegetable, celery is best in fall, winter, and spring. Celery is nutrient-rich and has a low glycemic index, which helps regulate your blood sugars. You want to pick long celery stalks to ensure the best flavor. Celery adds wonderful flavor and texture to savory dishes, or you can slap some peanut butter on a stalk and nosh on all those nutrients.

Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are a delicious vegetable for September

Sweet potatoes are an excellent starch loaded with fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and beta-carotene. A harvest vegetable, sweet potatoes are delicious hearty comfort food. When picking sweet potatoes, look for smooth-skinned, small to medium size potatoes. You don’t want any cracks or bruises. Need inspiration for healthy sweet potato recipes? We got you covered.

Ginger

Ginger

Ginger is a unique root vegetable that has healing and health benefits. Used as a spice or accent to dishes, ginger can really amplify your food. You can buy ginger dry, ground, or fresh from your local grocer year-round. A ripe ginger root is firm, smooth, and blemish-free. Try these ginger recipes this month and see what your family thinks.

White Mushroom

Mushrooms are a delicious vegetable for September

White mushrooms add an earthy flavor to your favorite savory dish. Mushrooms are a powerful source of riboflavin. You can forage for white mushrooms at the store year-round. White mushrooms offer additional texture and flavor to your meal. A ripe white mushroom is firm, smooth, and dry.

Beets

Dwight from The Office isn’t the only one who enjoys beets. These bright red vegetables are a Thanksgiving staple that is rich in folate, promoting cell growth and reducing the risk of heart disease. Beets can be a trick to get your kids to like them. Here are our best beet recipes that may help.

Cucumber

cucumbers

Ah yes, the mild-flavored cucumber can go with almost anything. Technically a fruit but regarded as a vegetable, cucumbers are low-calorie and about 95% water. Cucumbers actually have a decent amount of protein and fiber, but you’ll need to eat an entire cucumber to enjoy the full benefit. Still, it’s an easy serving to get into most kids. Pair it with a dip to make the cucumber disappear.

Spinach

spinich are a delicious vegetable for September

Spinach is a superfood leafy green you should add to your meals in September. Spinach contains important nutrients like vitamins K, C, and A, fiber, and protein. You can get spinach year-round, but it is considered a cool weather crop, so it will be less expensive and more flavorful in the fall. Check out our healthy recipes that include spinach.

Red Potato

Red Potatoes

Red potatoes are distinct potatoes with a sharper flavor than a russet. These potatoes are loaded with minerals like zinc and copper that help blood cell production and boost the immune system. To pick a ripe red potato, look for smooth, firm, and sprout-free potatoes. Try one of these hearty red potato recipes this month.

Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is considered a superfood because it’s packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and beta-carotene. This hearty vegetable can be incorporated into soups, sides, and Thanksgiving delights. A ripe butternut squash is firm with no green spots on the outer rind. 

Colored Cauliflower

colored cauliflower is a delicious vegetable in November

Colored cauliflower comes into season in November, and you can find four color varieties. White is your traditional cauliflower found all year. But you should try:

  • Orange: Mildly sweet, orange cauliflower has additional beta-carotene and is very healthy.
  • Green: Similar to broccoli, green cauliflower is rich in chlorophyll. 
  • Purple: Purple cauliflower is the healthiest, Containing antioxidant anthocyanins.

Try our favorite colored cauliflower recipes

Radicchio

Radicchio - Small

A bold, reddish-purple leaf vegetable, radicchio has a tangy or bitter flavor often used in Mediterranean cooking. Radicchio is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber inulin. Ripe radicchio has reddish leaves that are moist, crisp, and tender. Wondering how to cook with radicchio? Try these delicious radicchio recipes.

Green Onions

green onions are a delicious vegetable for September

Green onions are another flavorful veg that can boost your meals. Green onions are low-calorie and high in vitamin A. However, you do have to eat a significant amount to gain the health benefits. Green onions are a better topping for salads, potatoes, and savory dishes. Green onions should be firm and deep green when you pick them.

Swiss Chard

Swiss Chard

Obviously a kid favorite, swiss chard is a leafy, earthy, and kinda bitter vegetable. It isn’t shocking that swiss chard gets passed over, but you can change that. A superfood, swiss chard has loads of vitamins, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. So it’s worth making an effort to get it on your table. Here are our best recipes to help your family grow to love it.

Sage

sage

Sage is an evergreen herb that you can use to accent savory dishes. You can buy it fresh, dried, or ground at the store in the herb section. A fantastic Thanksgiving herb to use in stuffing, turkey, or potatoes, sage has an earthy flavor with hints of pepper, mint, and eucalyptus. Try one of our favorite harvest recipes that use sage. 

Kale

kale is a delicious vegtable for november

Kale has really been having a moment in popular healthy cooking. And it’s not unwarranted. This hearty leafy green can help manage blood pressure, digestion, and sugar levels. You can put kale in almost anything, such as a salad, smoothie, omelet, pasta, or even eat it as chips. Kale is ready for harvest when the leaves are large, firm, and deep green. 

Green Beans

green beans are a delicious vegetable in November

Green beans are a legume staple and a classic Thanksgiving dish. Packed with flavonols, quercetin, and kaemferol that help repair cell damage, green beans can be cooked in a wide variety of ways. Green beans are ripe when the beans inside are plump and firm. 

Do you need a challenge to get more fruits and vegetables onto your table this month? Sign up to get access to our free Produce Challenge®️ Calendar.

Related Link: How to Store Vegetables: Eat Fresh for Weeks

About Kristin

Kristin Ahaus is the Director of Content and Communications for The Produce Moms. Her focus and passion is helping all of TPM's brand partners share their stories while also helping consumers understand how to select, serve and store fresh produce. Connect with Kristin on LinkedIN.

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