August is a celebration of fruits and veggies of all kinds from stone fruits to tomatoes. Here is a sampling of what's at peak season this month, how to select the best of the bunch at the market, the best ways to store them, and links to some recipes.
August in the Sierra Nevada mountains has a rhythm to it — the mornings still carry a bite of mountain cool, but by noon the farmers market tables are practically groaning under the weight of the season's best. And baby, it's hot.
It reminds me of summers back home, when Parker, the woman who cared for me when I was young, would send me out to her expansive garden which included tons of brambles filled with berries. Her only instructions were to bring back only what was "ready today".
That lesson stuck with me: peak season doesn't wait around, and neither should we.
So consider this your August cheat sheet. I'm rounding up the fruits and vegetables hitting their stride right now — sweet peaches and melons, ears of corn practically bursting from their husks, cucumbers, peppers, glossy eggplant, and tomatoes in every shade of red, orange, and green.
For each one, I'll walk you through how to pick the best of the bunch at the market, how to store it so it lasts (nothing worse than a sad, mushy peach three days later), and a few of my favorite ways to turn them into dinner tonight.
Grab your market bag and let's go find what's good.
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FRUITS AT THEIR PEAK IN AUGUST
In addition to grapes and plums, which are at their peak beginning this month, here are more fruits to choose this month.
🫐 Berries
Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are all still at their peak in the US this month but August is their final peak season month.
Choosing the Best Berries
- 😖 Blueberries and blackberries are both on are on EWG's (Environmental Working Group) 2026 Dirty Dozen List so purchase organic berries when possible.
- Check the berries for any sign of mold, particularly with raspberries.
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 1 part distilled white vinegar to 3-4 parts water to remove mold spores.
- Dry the berries completely before storing in airtight containers, such as glass jars. This prevents them from becoming mushy.
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!
Blueberries...
Blackberries...
🍉 Melons
Peak harvest periods vary slightly by type and growing region for cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon, but they all peak in the hottest months of July, August, and September. This is when they reach their maximum sweetness, juiciness, and flavor.
🎉 All three of these melons are consistently on EWG's Clean Fifteen list. This means they are among the fruits and vegetables found to have the lowest levels of pesticide residue.
Spotting Peak Ripeness
- Choose melons that feel heavy for their size.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
The best way to store melons depends on whether they are whole or cut:
- Keep unripe whole melons on the counter.
- Keep ripe whole cantaloup and watermelon in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, and ripe whole honeydew for 3-4 weeks.
- Store any cut melon chunks in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes!
🍑 Nectarines and Peaches
Peak season for peaches and nectarines runs from June through August, although this can vary depending on the region.
Unfortunately, this fruit is on EWG's "Dirty Dozen" list, ranking highly among the fruits and vegetables most contaminated with pesticide residue. Buy organic whenever possible and be sure to thoroughly wash before consuming.
Spotting Peak Ripeness
- A ripe peach or nectarine yields to a gentle thumb pressure near the stem and will have a sweet, floral fragrance.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
- Keep unripened peaches and nectarines on the counter, unwashed, and stem side down. Don't pile them on top of each other.
- Keep ripe peaches and nectarines in the refrigerator in a breathable bag for up to 1 week.
- Don't wash them until you're ready to eat them.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes!
VEGETABLES AT THEIR PEAK IN AUGUST
🥑 Avocados
Avocados are a fruit, biologically speaking, but most of us think of them as a vegetable. So that's the category I'm putting it in. Although they're readily available all through the year, this is the final peak month for ones grown in California.
🎉 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!
🌽 Corn
Corn is available in many areas from May through September but August and September are its best months.
🎉 Corn is on EWG's 2026 Clean 15 List.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
Keep corn in their husks in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. If you brought the ears home in a plastic bag, remove the corn from the bag before storing.
Corn tastes best in the first 1-3 days but should last in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. If the husks look dry before you use the corn, loosely wrap a damp paper towel around the husks.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes!
🥒 Cucumbers
Cucumbers are in peak season from May through August. Grab them now for the freshest taste ones!
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 all of 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!
🍆 Eggplant
This month is the beginning of the peak eggplant season and will run through early fall.
🎉 Eggplants are on EWG's 2026 Clean 15 List.
Choosing the Best Eggplant
Always select eggplants that feel heavy for their size, have smooth shiny skins, and bright green stems.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
Like many other nightshade vegetables, eggplant is best stored in a cool (50˚-54˚F) spot out of direct sunlight. Refrigerating eggplant can turn the skin brown and spongy. Use within 2-3 days for the best freshness and flavor.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes!
🧄 Garlic
You may be surprised to hear that there's a peak season for garlic, but it's true. Yes, it's available all-year-round, but it's peak is from June through August. And this is why the Gilroy Garlic Festival is always held in late July. If you live anywhere near Gilroy, you know it's the garlic capital and everyone should go to the Festival at least once in their lifetime.
Choosing the Best Garlic
Look for bulbs that are firm, plump, and heavy for their size. The husks of the bulbs should be dry and papery. Avoid heads that feel soft and spongy.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
Store garlic unpeeled in a cool, dark, dry area for up to 6 months. Once the garlic is peeled, however, it should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container. Chopped garlic has the shortest shelf-life and should be used in 1-3 days.
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.
😖 Green beans are on EWG's extended 2026 Dirty Dozen List, ranked at #13, so purchase organic green beans when possible.
Choosing the Best Green Beans
- 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) promotes better air circulation through the beans in order to prevent mold from forming.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes.
🫑 Peppers
July and August bring a bounty of peppers to the markets but you should see fresh peppers through September and October, until the first frost. August is the peak month for the famous Hatch chiles.
Choosing the Best Peppers
- Look for firm peppers without any soft spots. Their skin should be smooth and glossy.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
- Store whole fresh peppers unwashed in a mesh bag or other breathable bag in your refrigerator's crisper drawer for 1-2 weeks.
- For cut peppers, pat them with a paper towel until completely dry and place in an airtight container for 3-7 days. I also line the container with a dry paper towel to absorb extra moisture.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes.
🌱 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.
🍅 Tomatoes
Peak season for tomatoes is in the hottest months. For most of us, this translates to July-September for the best tomatoes.
Storage Tips for Increased Shelf-Life
- Store unwashed, whole ripe tomatoes stem-side down on the counter out of direct sunlight.
- Store sliced tomatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator within 2 days.
Recipe Ideas
Just click on the photos to get the recipes.
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