What's in Season in December?
New-crop citrus, pomegranates, and winter brassicas — immune-season eating between holiday parties.
December brings the new citrus crop — the first truly great navel oranges, plus early grapefruit from Texas and mandarins in every stocking. Pomegranates peak now too, and their jewel-like arils are one of the easiest ways to add polyphenols and fiber to holiday tables. Between parties and cookie trays, seasonal fruit is the simplest countermeasure to the month’s sugar load.
Immune season is in full swing, and the produce that helps is the produce that’s in season: vitamin C from citrus and brassicas, zinc from oysters and legumes to round out plant-heavy meals, and vitamin D — scarce from December sun at US latitudes — from fatty fish and UV-exposed mushrooms. Frost-sweetened kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts carry the vegetable side through the holidays.
December Seasonal Produce at a Glance
| Produce | Peak Season |
|---|---|
| Navel oranges | Dec–Mar (new crop) |
| Pomegranates | Oct–Jan (peak) |
| Grapefruit | Dec–Apr |
| Mandarins & clementines | Nov–Feb |
| Kale | Oct–Mar |
| Brussels sprouts | Sep–Feb |
| Sweet potatoes | Oct–Feb |
| Shiitake mushrooms | Year-round |
| Green cabbage | Nov–Mar |
Nutrients to Focus on in December
Simple Recipe Ideas for December
Citrus and pomegranate winter salad
Ingredients
- ・2 navel oranges, segmented
- ・1/2 grapefruit, segmented
- ・Pomegranate arils
- ・Shaved fennel
- ・Olive oil, honey, mint
Nutrition note: A vitamin C-dense palate cleanser for heavy holiday menus. Fennel adds fiber and crunch with almost no calories.
Roasted winter vegetable platter with shiitakes
Ingredients
- ・Brussels sprouts, halved
- ・Sweet potato wedges
- ・Shiitake mushrooms
- ・Olive oil, garlic, thyme
- ・Balsamic glaze
Nutrition note: One tray covers fiber, beta-carotene, and mushroom vitamin D precursors — a party side that pulls nutritional weight.
Top Foods for December's Key Nutrients (Live Data)
Foods from USDA FoodData Central ranked by the nutrients worth focusing on in December, per 100g.
Foods highest in Vitamin C
View full ranking- 1. Spices, basil, dried1714.5mg
- 2. Spices, thyme, dried1714.5mg
- 3. Spices, sage, ground1714.5mg
- 4. Parsley, fresh1640mg
- 5. Spices, parsley, dried1359.5mg
- 6. Spices, coriander leaf, dried1359.5mg
Foods highest in Vitamin D
View full ranking- 1. Fish oil, cod liver250μg
- 2. Mushrooms, brown, italian, or crimini, exposed to ultraviolet light, raw31.9μg
- 3. Mushrooms, portabella, exposed to ultraviolet light, raw28.4μg
- 4. Mushrooms, maitake, raw28.1μg
- 5. Fish, halibut, Greenland, raw27.4μg
- 6. Mushroom, white, exposed to ultraviolet light, raw26.2μg
Foods highest in Zinc
View full ranking- 1. Mollusks, oyster, eastern, canned90.95mg
- 2. Mollusks, oyster, eastern, cooked, breaded and fried87.13mg
- 3. Mollusks, oyster, eastern, wild, cooked, moist heat78.6mg
- 4. Cereals ready-to-eat, RALSTON Enriched Wheat Bran flakes64.33mg
- 5. Mollusks, oyster, eastern, wild, cooked, dry heat61.04mg
- 6. Mollusks, oyster, eastern, farmed, cooked, dry heat45.15mg
Related Nutrition Articles
Seasonality varies by region; nutrition data from USDA FoodData Central.