January Produce Guide

Happy New Year! Looking for a fun resolution that’s easy to stick to? January is the perfect time to experiment with seasonal produce that you may or may not already be familiar with. From celery and chicory to lemons and limes, here’s what’s in season in January:

Celery

You can find celery in the grocery store all year long. But, since it’s a cool weather crop, winter celery is extra crisp and flavorful.

What to Look For

Look for crisp celery with bright green and tightly packed leaves. If you’re buying pre-cut celery, check the ends – avoid anything that looks shriveled, yellow, or brown.

Storage

Wrap celery tightly in aluminum foil and store it in the crisper drawer of your fridge for up to a month. Leave the ends open, as this allows the ethylene gas to escape.

Chicory

Chicory greens are a fantastic addition to salads, casseroles, and more.

What to Look For

Avoid chicory greens that have shoots coming out of the top, as this is an indication it’s past its prime. Leaves should be crisp, green, and uniform in color.

Storage

Loosely wrap chicory greens in a damp paper towel, put it in a plastic bag, and store it in the fridge for a few days.

Kumquat

The kumquat is a little fruit with big flavor. Kumquats add sweet, tangy, and pleasantly sour flavor to all sorts of recipes.

What to Look For

Opt for shiny, vibrant kumquats with taut skin. If you can find them, buy kumquats with a few leaves still attached.

Storage

If you plan to eat them within a few days, it’s fine to store kumquats at room temperature. They’ll last longer (up to two weeks) if you store them in an airtight container in the crisper drawer of your fridge.

Grapefruit

A hefty dose of vitamin C, the tart fruit packs a nutritious and delicious punch.

What to Look For

Choose yellow-gold grapefruits with a rosy undertone. The juiciest grapefruits feel heavy for their size, so take that into account in the produce department.

Storage

Grapefruits will last for about a week at room temperature. If you want to keep them longer than that, store them in the fridge – they should stay good for up to two months.

Lemons

Lemons are at their peak during winter. Make the most of lemon season by baking luscious deserts, mixing up refreshing drinks, and adding bright flavor to all your favorite savory dishes.

What to Look For

Like other citrus fruits, juicy lemons feel dense for their size when you pick them up. Look for smooth, vibrant yellow lemons with little to no discoloration on the peel.

Storage

Lemons will be fine at room temperature for about a week. In an airtight container in the crisper drawer of your fridge, they can last for a month or longer.

Oranges

Need a vitamin C boost this January? Reach for a ripe, juicy, in-season orange.

What to Look For

Pick heavy, firm oranges with smooth skin. Don’t worry if your orange isn’t perfectly, well, orange. Fruits with a muted greenish hue can be just as delicious as their vibrant counterparts.

Storage

It’s fine to keep your oranges on the counter for a day or two. After that, transfer them to the fridge – they’ll be good there for about two weeks.

Limes

Don’t miss out on fresh limes this citrus season. Whether you’re in the mood for a homemade margarita, a bakery-worthy Key-lime dessert, or a fresh-tasting entree or appetizer.

What to Look For

Limes should be firm, but slightly soft to the touch. Don’t worry if the lime isn’t solid green. Yellow spots just mean the fruit spent some time in the sun – they won’t affect overall quality.

Storage

Limes will be OK at room temperature for a few days, but they’ll last longer in the fridge. Keep them in an airtight container in the crisper drawer for up to a month.

Beets

Beets are tremendously earthy and can be eaten fresh, cooked or roasted.

What to Look For

Beets should be small and firm with deep maroon coloring, unblemished skin, and bright green leaves with no sign of wilting.

Storage

Beets should be kept in a crisper drawer. Leave them unwashed as excess moisture can make beets go bad more quickly, but chop off all but two inches of the stem.

Celery Root

Rich in antioxidants and nutrients, offering impressive health benefits, such as improved digestion, bone and heart health.

What to Look For

Look for firm tubers without freshly spots or discolorations. Choosing smaller roots for better taste, while larger roots are woodier and more suitable for roasting or long stewing.

Storage

Keep in a cool, dark place with good ventilation. Keeping it unwashed and wrapped in a paper towel to absorb excess moisture and maintain freshness.

Collards

Collards arevegetables that have large green leaves and tough stems, which are removed before eating

What to Look For

When buying greens, always pick bunches with quality leaves.  By being very selective you will avoid unnecessary work.

Storage

Collard greens are best kept in the fridge in a plastic bag, unwashed, to help preserve their crispness. You don’t want to wash them and then put them in the fridge, as introducing excessive moisture will accelerate the spoiling process.

Kale

Kale isa good source of beta-carotene, the carotenoid that the body converts into vitamin A as it needs it.

What to Look For

Choose kale with small or medium-size leaves as they are the most tender and have the best flavor.

Storage

Avoid excess moisture. Wrap the bunch of kale in a layer of paper towels, and store in a supermarket plastic bag or a zip-top plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer.

Leeks

Leeks are a vegetable that belong to the Allium family, which also includes onions, garlic, and shallots.

What to Look For

Avoid wilted or yellowing leaves, brown spots, and slimy or discolored parts. Good leeks should feel firm and look healthy from root to tip.

Storage

The best way to keep uncut, unwashed leeks fresh is by storing them in the refrigerator, ideally in the crisper section, and wrapped in plastic or in a plastic bag.

Parsnips

Parsnips are an excellent source of many important nutrients, packing a hearty dose of fiber, vitamins, and minerals into each serving.

What to Look For

Parsnips should be firm, smooth, and free of soft spots, with even coloring.

Storage

Store freshly harvested parsnips in a cool, dark place like a root cellar.

Pears

What to Look For

Look for fruit that is free of blemishes, bruises, or cuts. The color of the fruit depends on the variety, but any pear should be firm, smooth skinned, and have a slight perfume.

Storage

Place ripe whole pairs in the refrigerator for up to 12 days.

Potatoes

Potatoes are rich in compounds like flavonoids, carotenoids and phenolic acids. These compounds act as antioxidants in the body by neutralizing potentially harmful molecules known as free radicals.

What to Look For

Avoid any with soft flesh, brown discoloration, or appearance that shows a lot of their thin skin is missing.

Storage

Store potatoes in a well ventilated place, optimally, at a temperature between 45ºF and 55ºF.

Rutabagas

Rutabagas are high in vitamin C, have antioxidant compounds, and are low in carbohydrates.

What to Look For

Pick rutabagas heavy for their size and don’t have any soft spots, blemishes, or cuts

Storage

Store them in a cold moist place as near to freezing as possible without actual freezing, such as the vegetable crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Turnips

Turnips are low calorie, non-starchy vegetables with a low glycemic index, so eating them has a minimal effect on your blood sugar levels

What to Look For

Look for Turnips that are crisp and deep green in color with bulbs that have smooth and firm skin.

Storage

Store turnips in a cold moist place as near to freezing as possible without actual freezing.

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