T
The Daily Insight

Are cantaloupes in season

Author

Mia Kelly

Published Feb 28, 2026

From June through August, cantaloupes are at their peak of flavor. Along with tasting great, they’re an excellent source of vitamin A, beta-carotene and vitamin C. Whether you enjoy them sliced, cubed or halved, cantaloupes are a refreshing, healthy addition to salads, desserts, beverages and more.

Can you buy cantaloupe year round?

Walmart sells several melon varieties year-round. “Walmart sells nearly 10 times as many cantaloupes in June as we do in December,” Molly Blakeman, a spokeswoman for Walmart, tells TODAY over email.

Where are cantaloupes in season?

StateCantaloupe in seasonCaliforniaMay till NovemberColoradomid-July till SeptemberConnecticutJuly till OctoberDelawareJune till September

What melon is in season now?

Honeydew is available all year round, with peak season running between June and October in the northern hemisphere. One of the trickiest parts of buying large fruits such as melon and watermelon is to tell whether they’re ripe or not.

Are cantaloupes good now?

One thing I do know is that the cool, juicy melon is definitely good humans! Scoop some up now while it’s in season. Muskmelons (that is, orange cantaloupe and green honeydew) are available from July through August and sometimes as late as mid-October in warmer climates.

Is cantaloupe a summer fruit?

Cantaloupe: June – August. Ripe melons sound hallow when tapped. They also feel heavy for their size and they should have a slightly strong, sweet aroma to them. Cherry Season: May – August.

Can you eat cantaloupe in winter?

Unlike a watermelon, the flesh and seeds are white, it’s relatively tasteless, and it cannot be eaten raw. Instead, recipes with winter melon often call for steaming, simmering, or parboiling, but be careful not to overcook it—it can get mushy.

What is a summer cantaloupe?

The oblong yellow fruit resembles a cantaloupe in flavor but has a pleasant tanginess. Like honeydews and other winter melons, it will start to ripen toward the end of summer and continue through the beginning of autumn.

Is cantaloupe a winter melon?

Honeydew melons are also said to be a type of “winter melon,” but “winter melon” can also refer to an entirely unrelated Asian fruit. … Well, cantaloupe (both North American and European) and honeydew all belong to the same species: Cucumis melo. So they’re different subgroups of the same species. That’s good to know.

Is cantaloupe a winter fruit?

Seasonally, melons are divided into two categories: the summer melon and the late or winter melon. Summer melons include varieties of muskmelon (which in North America are known as the cantaloupes—with their yellow-tan netted rinds) and varieties of true cantaloupe, with their smooth rinds.

Article first time published on

How do I know when to pick my cantaloupes?

In fact, most cantaloupes are ready to be picked once they’re fully ripened, changing from green to a tan or yellowish-gray color between the netting. A ripe melon will also exhibit a sweet and pleasant aroma. One way to tell if a melon is overripe is by looking at the rind, which will appear quite yellow and soft.

What's the difference between cantaloupe and muskmelon?

There is technically a difference, but often the names are used interchangeably. The term cantaloupe refers to two varieties of muskmelon. … While both of these cantaloupe varieties are muskmelons, not all muskmelons are cantaloupes. The name muskmelon comes from the sweet fragrance of the ripe fruit.

What is the best time to eat cantaloupe?

Eating fruits and vegetables that are in season offer the best tasting and nutrient rich diet. Consuming whole foods at their peak is the optimum way to nourish your body and maintain a healthy way of eating. Summer is the perfect time to enjoy a fresh, juicy cantaloupe from your garden or local farmers market.

Why is cantaloupe bad for you?

Cantaloupes are a good source of this mineral, which can help lower your blood pressure. But too much of it may cause problems if you have kidney disease. That’s because your organs may not be able to filter out all the extra potassium, This can lead to a serious condition called hyperkalemia. Fiber.

Are cantaloupes healthy to eat?

Cantaloupe is a rich food source of vitamins A and C. “Vitamins A and C are both antioxidants that work to keep your body healthy,” Mangieri said. Antioxidants can have protective effects by neutralizing free radicals, which can damage DNA in cells and promote chronic inflammation in the body.

Which is healthier cantaloupe or watermelon?

A one-cup serving of cantaloupe has only 53 calories, but it contains 106 percent of the vitamin A daily value and 95 percent of vitamin C. It’s also a good source of potassium and folate. … Watermelon contains the least amount of calories, coming in at 46 calories per one-cup serving.

What fruit is winter melon?

Ash gourd, also known as Benincasa hispida, winter melon, wax gourd, white pumpkin, and Chinese watermelon, is a fruit native to parts of Southern Asia (1). It grows on a vine and matures into a round or oblong melon that’s approximately the same size and color as a watermelon.

Can I eat skin of winter melon?

The flesh of the fruit is white, as are the seeds, and unlike most fruits, it cannot be consumed raw. The flesh is typically simmered or steamed, and it’s treated more like a vegetable in Asian and Indian recipes. Winter melon has a mild taste that’s likened to cucumber and watermelon rind (the white part).

What does winter melon taste like?

Wintermelon by itself has a very mild and somewhat bland flavour when the fruit is still unripe. The taste is similar to that of cucumber – refreshing and vegetal, with a slight grass-like flavour. When aged, wintermelon loses some of its taste and becomes slightly bland but still retains its refreshing properties.

What months are fruits in season?

  • Spring: March, April, and May.
  • Summer: June, July, and August.
  • Fall: September, October, and November.
  • Winter: December, January, and February.

What fruit is in season right now California?

CROPMONTHPeachesJune 20 – September 10PlumsJune 15 – July 30Green BeansJune 15 – September 15Nectarines

What are the fruit seasons?

  • Winter Season. · Chestnuts. · Grapefruit. · Lemons. · Oranges. · Tangerines. · Kale. …
  • Spring Season. · Apricots. · Avocado. · Mango. · Pineapple. · Rhubarb. …
  • Summer Season. · Blackberries. · Blueberries. · Nectarines. · Peaches. · Plums. …
  • Fall Season. · Apples. · Cranberries. · Figs. · Grapes. · Pears.

What is a winter melon called?

wax gourd, (Benincasa hispida), also called winter melon, ash gourd, Chinese watermelon, or white gourd, fleshy vine of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), grown for its edible fruits.

What melons are in season in fall?

Melons, like watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melon, are still in season!

What is Wintermelon Milktea?

Essentially a combination of milk tea with the fruit syrup, this beverage is a recent flavourful phenomena among Western boba lovers. … Instead of your usual tea leaves, you boil and infuse the fruit itself. A homemade wintermelon syrup used in the beverage can be stored for up to 2 weeks in your fridge.

What is a sugar kiss?

Sugar Kiss Melons Sugar Kiss lives up to its name, with extraordinary sweetness in every bite. These melons have a netted rind and a pale orange flesh that’s so soft and creamy, it practically melts in your mouth.

What is a sugar kiss fruit?

Sugar Kiss is the sweetest member of the “Kiss” family of melons. This melon packs a punch of flavor. The soft meat melts in your mouth, dissolving like sugar on the tongue. … With a texture reminiscent of a Crenshaw, the Sugar Kiss has unsurpassed flavor.

What's the sweetest watermelon?

Sultan. Sultan is one of the sweetest varieties you’ll find, this one measures 12.3 on the Brix scale. The fruits average 15 pounds and ripen within 95 days.

Are watermelons in season right now?

Best Seasons for Fruit: What Fruit Is in Season Right Now? … Watermelons are harvested from June through September; this seasonal produce in California is best consumed in the summer and fall.

What season is apricots?

These fragrant, sweet fruits are in season from May to September. Find out how to buy the best apricots and prepare them, plus what to make with them. A relative of the peach, nectarine, plum and cherry, apricots are fragrant, with a soft, velvety skin that ranges from pale yellow to deep orange.

What season is April?

April is all about spring vegetables—asparagus and artichokes are at their peak, snap peas begin to make an appearance, as well as young carrots with their fern-like carrot tops, and fava beans. Spring garlic, spring onions, leeks and fennel are thriving, as are the first spring radishes.