Sharing is caring!

May is a month of fresh blooms, sunshine, and farmers’ markets bursting with flavor! Spring is in full swing, and that means more fresh fruits, vibrant veggies, and the excitement of longer, warmer days.

One of my favorite ways to stay inspired in the kitchen is by cooking with the seasons. Back in culinary school, I learned just how much better food tastes when you use fresh, in-season ingredients, and idk if its just my ADHD and constant craving of newness, but I’ve never looked back!

Want to make the most of May’s seasonal bounty? Keep reading to discover what’s in season this month, plus recipe ideas to put all that fresh produce to delicious use. Or, if you’re on a mission, use the jump-to menu below to skip straight to what you need!

Got a minute?!

I’d be so grateful if you could fill out this quick survey for me!
I use all the responses to help make sure my site is as useful as it can be, just for YOU!

ℹ️ May seasonal produce infographic

pro tip: Save the infographic below to your phone’s camera roll for easy reference when grocery shopping, or pin it to your seasonal food board for later!

A chart of what is in season in May on a pink background showcases illustrated fruits and vegetables, including plums, spinach, mangoes, blueberries, papaya, avocados, asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, radishes, shallots, and more.
Discover whats in season in May with a vibrant chart showcasing illustrations of fresh produce like avocados, mangoes, and blueberries. Set against a pink backdrop, this delightful guide features carrots and more. Visit www.arecipeforfun.com to explore further.

🧾expansive list of fruits & veggies in season in May

Want to cook more seasonally? A great way to stay inspired is by shopping for in-season fruits and veggies. Not only do they taste better, but they’re also often cheaper and easier to find.

Fruits that are in season in May:

  • Apricots
  • Blackberries
  • Blueberries
  • Boysenberries
  • Cantaloupe
  • Cherries
  • Dragon Fruit
  • Guava
  • Kiwi
  • Kumquats
  • Lychee
  • Mangoes
  • Melons
  • Nectarines
  • Papaya
  • Passion Fruit
  • Peaches
  • Plums
  • Raspberries
  • Pineapple
  • Strawberries
  • Watermelon

Vegetables that are in season in May:

  • Artichokes
  • Asparagus
  • Avocados
  • Beets
  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery
  • Chard
  • Chives
  • Green Beans
  • Green Onions
  • Kale
  • Leeks
  • Mustard Greens
  • Radishes
  • Rhubarb
  • Spinach
  • Summer Squash
  • Swiss Chard
  • Tomatillos
  • Zucchini

Wanna save this recipe for later? 📬

I'll email this recipe post to you so you can have it for later!

An infographic intended to be used as a Pinterest Pin that has a list of fruits and vegetables in season in the month of May, with a photo of asparagus on it.

✨ May ingredient spotlight & recipe share

Below, you’ll find a more detailed list of spotlight ingredients that are in season this month, plus shopping tips and creative ways to use each ingredient!

Want more recipe inspo? 👀

Drop me a comment and let me know what you’re looking for! I run this site by myself, and I’m here to help YOU stay inspired! I’d be thrilled to help develop a recipe just for you!

🥭 mango – the world’s most popular fruit!

There are over 500 varieties of mango available, but popular varieties in your local grocery stores are Alphonso, Kent, Tommy Atkins, and Kesar.

Mangoes are perfect for snacking, blending into smoothies, or adding to salads or homemade salsas for a pop of flavor.

When choosing mangoes, don’t rely on color! Instead, give it a gentle squeeze—ripe mangoes should have a slight softness, like a ripe avocado. A sweet, fruity aroma near the stem is another good sign it’s ready to eat.

A close up photograph of mangoes.

recipe ideas for mango:

the star of a smoothie

A homemade starfruit smoothie is in a retro style soda fountain glass on top of a rattan coaster. The drink is garnished with a slice of starfruit and a striped straw.

Freeze peak season mango and enjoy it in smoothies all year long, like this tropical starfruit smoothie with mango and strawberries!

infused in your favorite liquor

square crop of jalapeño infused tequila.

Liquor infusions are a great way to make the most of seasonal produce! Use this recipe for jalapeño tequila, but swap the peppers for mangos!

🍍pineapple – a tropical crown jewel!

Fresh pineapples fill the frame of a photo.

Sweet, tart, and ultra-refreshing, pineapple is the fruit of warm-weather vibes. It’s great for drinks, desserts, and even savory dishes (yeah, like pizza).

A ripe pineapple should have golden skin (not totally green!), and it should smell sweet at the base. If a leaf from the top pulls out with a gentle tug, that’s a good sign it’s ready!

recipe ideas for pineapple:

pineapple simple syrup

A bottle of pineapple simple syrup sits on a wooden cutting board next to a pile of pineapple chunks. There are pineapples in the background, including a sliced half of a pineapple.

This pineapple drink syrup recipe uses the core of the pineapple to help cut down on food waste while making an easy home infused syrup!

homemade pineapple soda

feature image of homemade pineapple soda. Three glasses of pineapple soda sit on a purple stone countertop, with cubes of pineapple to the left and a half pineapple in the background.

One of my favorite ways to use homemade syrups is making homemade soda pops! This pineapple soda recipe also adds crushed fresh pineapple to amp up the taste!

on top of a pepperoni pizza!

A turkey pepperoni pizza with a golden-brown crust sits on a red plate. Crispy slices of turkey pepperoni are layered on the melted cheese, evenly spread across the pie. Cut into eight slices, it boasts a slightly irregular edge.

Sure it’s probably one of the MOST debated pizza toppings ever, but I love pineapple on pizza! Crush fresh pineapple into the sauce of a turkey pepperoni pizza for a burst of sweet flavor!

🥝 kiwi fruit – a sweet tart star!

Most kiwis in the United States are grown in California, but New Zealand is the world’s leading producer.

In fact, the kiwi got its name from the kiwi bird in New Zealand, because the shape and color resemble the bird. Kiwi and strawberry are a classic flavor combination, but it is delicious on its own!

The perfect kiwi should give slightly when pressed—too firm, and it’s underripe; too mushy, and it’s past its prime. If you need them to ripen quickly, store them in a paper bag with an apple or banana!

recipe ideas using fresh kiwi:

kiwi simple syrup

feature image of a bottle of kiwi simple syrup. A bottle of kiwi simple syrup sits on a small wooden pedestal in front of a bowl of kiwi fruits and lemon. pieces of kiwi fruit are scattered atop the counter.

Try making a batch of this fresh kiwi syrup to give your favorite drinks the flavor of kiwi!

kiwi mojito

A kiwi mojito sits in the middle of a photo frame on a light brown stone countertop. Ingredients used to make the kiwi mojito are sitting in the background, along with another kiwi mojito.

Use your kiwi syrup and fresh kiwi fruit for this minty kiwi mojito cocktail!

🍓 strawberries – the ultimate springtime fruit!

These sweet, floral berries are so versatile. They’re great in desserts, drinks, and even savory dishes.

Go for bright red berries with fresh, green leaves—dull or pale ones usually lack flavor. Give them a sniff; the best strawberries will smell sweet and fragrant!

Freeze peak season berries when they’re on sale to make the most of their flavor all year round!

image of strawberries, in the peak season in March

recipe ideas using fresh strawberries:

strawberry simple syrup

a bottle of homemade strawberry simple syrup sits on top of a wooden pedestal around ingredients used to make the recipe.

Fresh strawberries are infused into a simple syrup in this easy strawberry syrup recipe! It’s perfect for cocktails, mocktails, and more!

strawberry wine cocktails

Feature Image of a frozen strawberry wine slushie cocktail recipe. This drink is also called frozé or frosé.

Sip your way closer to springtime with this seasonal frozen strawberry wine cocktail featuring rosé wine and strawberry syrup.

strawberry lemon bars

a batch of strawberry lemon bars sits on a cutting board with one strawberry lemon bar dusted in powdered sugar

These strawberry jam lemon bars make the most of the last of winter citrus while also enjoying the start of strawberry season!

💬 What May produce are you excited about?

Springtime produce is such a joy to cook with, and I’d love to hear what ingredients you’re most excited to use this month! Drop a comment below, and let me know what you’re making—or if you need recipe ideas, I’ve got plenty! 🥰

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *