June kicks off summer with a bounty of fresh berries, early stone fruits, and the beginnings of warm-weather veggies. Here is a sampling of what's at peak season this month along with links to some recipes and a couple of handy printable charts.
There's a reason why that strawberry you grabbed at the farmers market last weekend tasted nothing like the ones from the grocery store last January — and it all comes down to timing.
When fruits and vegetables are harvested at their peak, they're sweeter, more nutritious, and honestly just better in every way. And the best place to get them is at your local farmers markets.
The good news? Early June is one of the most exciting times of year to be eating seasonally. We start to spy fruits and veggies we haven't seen since last summer. And if you know what to look for, you can eat incredibly well without overthinking it.
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I've included some printable charts in this post, but let's first look at what's at their absolute best right now, along with purchasing and storage tips to make them last. Because, hello, groceries aren't cheap.
Also keep in mind that seasons shift a bit depending on where you live. So use this as your starting guide and let your local farmers market do the fine-tuning.
To find what's in season where you live, check out this detailed Seasonal Guide for every State.
FRUITS AT THEIR PEAK IN JUNE
🥑 Avocados
🎉 Avocados are on EWG's (Environmental Working Group) 2026 Clean 15 List.
Spotting Peak Ripeness
- Lightly press an avocado around its stem area. It should only slightly depress. If it's super soft, the avocado may be mushy.
- When buying hard avocados, just leave them on the counter for a couple of days to ripen.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
Unfortunately avocados have a short shelf life. Therefore, proper storage is super-important.
- Store ripe avocados in the refrigerator and be sure to use them within 2-3 days.
- For cut or leftover avocado, drizzle with a few drops of lemon juice using lemon juice and place in an airtight container to prevent browning.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes!
🫐 Berries
Blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries are all in season in the US this month.
Choosing the Best Berries
- 😖 Blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries are all on EWG's 2026 Dirty Dozen List so try to purchase organic berries if possible.
- Check the berries for any sign of mold.
- For strawberries, also choose cartons with mostly berries that are fully red without obvious blemishes. Once picked they won't ripen any further.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
- Remove the berries from their plastic cartons as soon as you get them home and soak them for 3 minutes in a solution of 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar to remove mold spores.
- To prevent them from becoming mushy, dry the berries completely before storing in airtight containers, such as glass jars.
Drying Tip: First line the basket of a salad spinner with a paper towel. Next tuck the berries into the paper towels, place the lid on the spinner, and then spin it like crazy. They'll still be a little damp, so the final step is to transfer them to fresh paper towels to let them dry completely before storing in glass jars.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes!
Strawberries...
Blueberries...
Blackberries...
🥭 Mangoes
Mangoes are are grown globally, so you can find fresh mangoes year-round as different varieties and regions take turns harvesting.
Spotting Peak Ripeness
- 🎉 Mangoes are on EWG's 2026 Clean 15 List.
- Depending on the variety, ripe mangoes can have shades of red, orange, green, and yellow, often all at the same time.
- Like avocados, they're ripe when they give in to gentle pressure.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
- Keep unripe mangoes on the counter at room temperature to ripen. If you want to speed up the ripening a bit, put them in a paper bag to ripen.
- Store ripe mangoes in the produce drawer of your refrigerator for up to five days.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes!
Print out the below June Fruits chart for a sampling of what's generally in season right now.
VEGETABLES AT THEIR PEAK IN JUNE
🌱 Asparagus
Asparagus is available year-round at our grocery stores but their peak season runs from April through early June. If they're still at your farmers markets, grab them now as it might the last weekend you'll see them there until next spring!
🎉 Asparagus is on EWG's 2026 Clean 15 List.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
Don't pre-wash asparagus before storing and use one of the two following ways to keep it longer in your refrigerator.
- Best way. Trim 1-2 inches from the woody bottom ends of the stalks and arrange the spears in a mason jar or tall glass. Fill the jar with about 1" cold water and cover the exposed tops loosely with a plastic bag. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Check the water every few days and replace with fresh water if it becomes cloudy.
- The Damp Towel Method: Wrap the trimmed ends of the asparagus in a damp paper towel. Place the bundle loosely inside a plastic bag or reusable produce bag and store it in the vegetable crisper drawer for 5-7 days.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes!
🥕 Carrots
Carrots planted in early spring are harvested as "new" spring carrots. They're smaller in size, incredibly tender, and mild-tasting. June is the last month you may see them at your farmers market, so if you see them, grab them before they're gone!
🎉 Carrots are on EWG's 2026 Clean 15 List.
Choosing the Best Carrots
Always purchase carrots that still sport their bright green tops as this is the best way to determine how fresh they are.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
The woman who took care of me when I was young, Parker, had a small farm and a root cellar where she stored the carrots she grew. But not many people have root cellars anymore, so here's how you can store them in your kitchen.
- Cut off their green tops immediately as they pull moisture and nutrients directly from the taproot, causing them to go limp and rubbery. Leave just 1" of the stems attached.
- Best way to store: Place the carrots in an airtight container such as a glass jar or zip lock baggie and cover them completely with fresh, cold water. Refrigerate for 2-4 weeks. Be sure to check the water and change when it becomes cloudy, every 3-5 days.
- Second choice: Place unwashed carrots in an airtight bag like a zip-top along with a damp paper towel. Store in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer for 1-2 weeks.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes!
🥒 Cucumbers
Cucumbers are in peak season from May through August.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
- If you buy English cucumbers tightly wrapped in plastic, leave it on until you're ready to use them. But once you begin to cut them up, remove the plastic sheathing.
- Wrap whole, unwashed cucumbers in a dry paper towel to wick away moisture and place in a bag that allows for a little airflow.
- Uncut cucumbers stored in your refrigerator will keep for up to 2 weeks if they're not kept in the same crisper with ethylene-producing fruits like bananas, onions, tomatoes, and melons.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes!
🫛 Green Beans
Local green beans are at their crispest, sweetest, and most flavorful from June through August.
Choosing the Best Green Beans
- 😖 Green beans are on EWG's extended 2026 Dirty Dozen List, ranked at #13, so try to purchase organic green beans if possible.
- To pick the very best green beans, search out pods that are firm, straight, a vibrant green color, and snap crisply when bent.
- Purchase loose, uncut, and at farmers markets for the freshest, most tender green beans.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
- Store unwashed green beans in an open plastic bag in your refrigerator crisper drawer and try to eat them within 3 to 5 days. An open bag (or perforated bag) promoted better air circulation through the beans.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes.
Radishes
June is the end of the peak season for spring radishes so grab them now at your farmers markets before they're gone.
Choosing the Best Radishes
- Be sure to select medium-sized radishes that are firm, smooth, and heavy for their size. Also check that their greens are crisp and bright green.
- Larger radishes tend to be older, drier, more fibrous, and spicier.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
Just like carrots, cut off their greens as soon as you get your radishes home and leave them unwashed until you're ready to use them. The recommended storage methods are also the same as listed above for carrots.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes.
🌱 Rhubarb
June is the end of the peak season for fresh rhubarb so grab it now at your farmers markets before it's gone.
Choosing the Best Rhubarb
- To choose the best rhubarb, look for firm, crisp stalks and avoid any that are wider than 1-2 inches. Additionally, steer clear of rhubarb that has a dull, woody appearance.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
- Immediately remove any leaves from the rhubarb when you bring it home. The leaves are toxic.
- A great way to store rhubarb is upright in a jar in about 1 inch of water but the stalks are tall and this is likely impractical for most of us. Therefore, store rhubarb unwashed wrapped in a plastic bag in your refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
🌱 Summer Squash & Zucchini
Depending on where you live, the peak season for summer squash and zucchini begins in June. Southern California's peak season can begin as early as May while some northern climes' peak season begins in July.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
Store unwashed, whole summer squash and zucchini in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator in a bag that's open at one end for 1-2 weeks.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes.
First some recipes using zucchini.
And here are some recipes using summer squash.
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