December embraces Canada’s deep winter storage season, with apples, root crops like carrots, beets, potatoes, and cabbage at optimal freshness, greenhouse produce providing colour, and cranberries adding holiday cheer. Comforting staples fill markets through the coldest months.
Availability varies significantly by province, weather, and year. What you see at a BC market may differ from an Ontario grocer or Quebec field. Use our What’s in Season chart as a general guide, and check your local grocer and farmers’ market for specifics in your region.
Fresh in November (Greenhouse)
Greenhouse-Grown (year-round availability):
- Bell peppers: Year-round. What’s in Season? Bell Peppers (Field and Greenhouse)
- Cucumbers: Year-round. What’s in Season? Cucumbers
- Lettuce: Year-round. What’s in Season? Lettuce
- Mushrooms: Year-yound. What’s in Season? Mushrooms
- Tomatoes: Year-round. What’s in Season? Tomatoes (Field and Greenhouse)
- Strawberries: Year-round supplement. Strawberries (greenhouse, year-round)
Available in December (Peak Storage)
Storage Crops (optimally stored through winter):
- Apples: Fall–spring storage. What’s in Season? Apples
- Beets: Fall–spring storage. What’s in Season? Beets
- Carrots: Year-round storage freshness. What’s in Season? Carrots
- Cabbage: November–April storage. What’s in Season? Cabbage
- Cranberries: Stored from October harvest; BC, Quebec bogs. What’s in Season? Cranberries
- Dry Onions: Year-round storage. What’s in Season? Dry Onions
- Garlic: Storage abundance. What’s in Season? Garlic
- Potatoes: Year-round storage. What’s in Season? Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes: Year-round storage. What’s in Season? Sweet Potatoes
- Turnips, Rutabaga What’s in Season? Turnips & Rutabaga
