It should come as no surprise that when it comes to buying produce, freshness is important. But it's easy to forget that fact with the gleaming piles of fruit and vegetables at the grocery store or the "organic" signs promising better food karma. But here's what you should really be looking for: Dirt. Buy vegetables that look like they were just pulled from the Earth. And that usually means buying seasonally and locally. Honestly, have you ever had a good tomato in January? Buy what's plentiful at your local farmers market and you'll remember what fruits and vegetables are supposed to taste like.
Artichokes
Asparagus
Beets
Cherries
Grapefruit
Green Onions
Lemons
Lettuce
Navel Oranges
Peas
Radishes
Rhubarb
Scallions
Spinach
Strawberries
Turnips
Avocados
Bell Peppers
Berries
Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Mangoes
Melons
Nectarines
Peaches
Plums
Strawberries
Summer Squash
Tomatillos
Tomatoes
Zucchini
Apples
Artichokes
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cranberries
Green Beans
Pears
Pomegranates
Pumpkins
Radishes
Spinach
Sunchokes
Sweet Potatoes
Beets
Cabbage
Cardoons
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Citrus Fruit
Horseradish
Kiwis
Leeks
Potatoes
Radishes
Rutabagas
Sunchokes
Turnips
Winter Squash