When are mangos in season?

Just kidding, inflation is way too high right now. But read on anyway and I’ll show you the best way to buy, cut, and how to store mango.

Peak season runs from May through September, though you can find mangos at your market all-year round. In the U.S., mangos are grown in both Florida and California. The most common varieties you'll find at a supermarket are Timmy Atkins, Haden, Keitt and Kent mangos.

If you want to cut a mango into perfect chunks without hacking away at a hard, unripe mango and ending up with an inedible, stringy mess - you'll need to pick the right one.

Focus on feel, not color. Mango varieties come in all different colors, shapes, and sizes so the color is not the best indicator of ripeness. All you have to do is give it a gentle squeeze.

A ripe mango will give slightly, while an unripe mango will be firm to the touch - similar to a peach or avocado. If you like more of a sour-tart flavor, look for a firm mango and use within 1-2 days since they get softer and sweeter as they ripen.

You may also notice a fruity aroma from the stem if it's ripe. So go-ahead, give it a sniff and make direct eye contact with anyone judging you, they clearly don't know how to pick a mango.

Mangos can be one of the more challenging fruits to properly cut. But fear not, follow these simple steps and you’ll have perfect mango chunks in seconds.

Step 1: Position mango with the stem side down on a cutting board.

Step 2: Using a pairing knife, cut alongside the wide part of the pit as close to it as possible. Cut from the top of the mango down one side of the pit. Repeat the same thing on the other side of the mango.

Step 3: Cut the two small sides of the middle section of the mango from the top down the side towards the stem.

Step 4: Score the mango flesh by making lengthwise and crosswise cuts. Be careful not to cut through the peel. Pop open the mango by pushing the skin side down towards your thumb.

Use your paring knife to cut along the peel of the mango and carefully remove the pieces from the peel.

An alternative method is to use a spoon to scoop the flesh. This is ideal if you don’t feel comfortable using a knife or want to get a little more mango out of the skin.

Take a small glass cup with a thin rim to scoop out the mango pieces from the peel in one motion from top to bottom. While this method removes the most mango from the peel, it can make the mango chunks mushy.

A soft, ripe mango can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Keep unripe mangos at room temperature. They shouldn’t be refrigerated before they are ripe.

If you want to speed up the ripening process, place unripe mangos in a brown bag and leave on the counter for 2 days.

In the fridge

Cut mango can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

In the freezer

You can freeze mango chunks in a freezer-bag for up to six months.

If you haven’t tried mango salsa, you’re missing out. It pairs perfectly with avocados and makes for a juicy, sweet taco topping.

You can also use mango to marinate fish, pork or chicken. Toss fresh mangos in a green or fruit salad, use frozen chunks in a smoothie or add dried mango to trail mix.

The juicy flesh is a golden-orange color with a sweetly tart flavor. Mango contains long seeds, which can make it tough to slice. Peak season runs from May through September, though you can find imported mangoes at your market all-year round.

While mangoes can be harvested year-round in parts of the United States, the hot summer months of June and July are considered peak season for mangoes because so many varieties (or cultivars) are ripening this time of year.

Introduced to south Florida over 200 years ago, mangoes are now at the center of summer culture in the Keys, where festivals are held in the blazing heat to celebrate this sweet and juicy tropical fruit. Neighbors share bounties from trees growing right in their backyards, and South Florida grandmas bake up mango breads and swirl together mango milkshakes for sweet summer treats.

If you don’t live in South Florida, mango season means $0.25 mangoes at the grocery store – still not a bad way to celebrate.

So other than that they taste amazing and go on sale at the end of June, how much do you really know about mangoes?

I asked myself this question and did some digging, and I’m stoked to share my research with you! From the least nutritious variety to the top exporting countries, here are TEN things you (maybe) didn’t know about mangoes!

Yep, it’s true. The mango, or Mangifera indica, is part of the Anacardiaceae family, a family of flowering plants that bear fruits known as drupes (a.k.a. stone fruits!). Drupes are fruits with an outer fleshy part and a stone (or pit) in the middle. If this reminds you more of an avocado than a cashew, you’re not alone, it took me some time to pin down the difference. An avocado, botanically speaking, is a single-seeded berry, since it has a seed rather than a pit, and the innermost layer is soft and “fleshy.” In a mango, the seed is inside the stone (or pit), which is a hardened layer around the seed. Other notable Anacardiaceae family members are poison ivy, sumac, and marula, which is an important fruit to the people of southern Africa and even used to make beer there!

Mangoes. Or Mangos. [Scratches head.] Apparently, it’s perfectly fine to use either spelling. Though, I found mangoes to be the preferred and more common spelling. So calm down grammar police, it’s correct either way.

You wouldn’t be surprised to hear that mangoes are high in vitamin C, they are a yellowish-orange tropical fruit after all. But did you know that mangoes are one of the best plant sources of vitamin A?

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that humans can’t produce on our own and must get from food. Vitamin A supports many systems in the body, including daily replacement of skin cells, maintaining healthy tissue in the eyes, and providing a barrier to infection through mucous production.

There are two types of vitamin A – retinol (animal sources) and carotenoids (plant sources). Retinol is an active form of vitamin A, which is how the body uses it. Egg yolks, liver, and fish liver are all good sources of retinol. Carotenoids, on the other hand, must be “converted” to retinol during digestion. Carotenoids like beta carotene are what give fruits their color and contain antioxidant properties. Antioxidants protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, which are believed to contribute to certain chronic diseases.

( For some excellent, in-depth info about vitamin A, I highly recommend this article)

A mango is a mango right? Oh, how little I knew about mangoes.

Sad but true, some mango cultivars are less nutritious than others. In fact, if you’re not paying attention, you’ll likely pick up the least nutritious variety - it's the most common!

A study conducted by the USDA Agricultural Research Service found vast differences in vitamin A and C amounts between five common mango cultivars. While all mangoes tested were still considered “excellent” sources of vitamins A (beta-carotene) and C (ascorbic acid), the Mexican grown Ataulfo variety scored highest for both nutrients.

On the other end of the spectrum lies the most common commercially distributed cultivar – the Tommy Atkins. Tommy Atkins mangoes contain only a fifth of the beta-carotene of Ataulfos, and the lowest levels of vitamin C of the varieties tested.

The lesson - if you're looking for the very best fruit source of beta carotene, pick up a cantaloupe.

Tommy Atkins mangoes are the most commercially distributed mangoes for a reason. They are tough and resilient, making them tolerant to shipping and handling without bruising. Originally planted from a Haden mango seed in the 1920s by Thomas Atkins of Broward County, Florida, this cultivar was actually rejected by the Florida Mango Forum for its “unremarkable” quality. But by the 1950s, it finally became popular with commercial growers and went on to become the most extensively planted mango in North and South America.

The Tommy Atkins mango is less sweet and more fibrous. It has even been described across the internet as “tasteless,” “so lame,” and “a mango I would eat last if it was the only one available.” That’s pretty harsh!

While I can’t disagree with the criticism of its stringy texture, when a Tommy Atkins is ripe, it tastes pretty darn good to me. But if you are looking for a heavenly mango experience (with the nutrient-dense qualities of a true super fruit) it may be best to pass on those $0.25 Tommy Atkins mangoes, and pick up a Haden, Honey, or Ataulfo instead.

There’s a reason they taste so good. One medium mango (336 grams edible portion) contains 200 calories and 46 grams of sugar. If you’re watching your sugar, you may think to stay away from this super sweet fruit, but not so fast. Sugars from whole foods like mango don’t have the same effect on your diet as added sugars.

For one, it’s just too hard to overeat fruits, which are full of fiber and water, opposed to added sugars which are just empty calories. Plus, mangoes are good for you and there are benefits to indulging in this delectable fruit. Mango contains such high amounts of micronutrients like vitamins A and C, that avoiding them isn't doing your health any favors.

However, if you frequently add mango to smoothies, or juice this delicious fruit, best to watch how many you are consuming. Blended foods don’t provide the same fullness factor as when they are chewed, so it still may be possible to overindulge.

And if you're using half at a time, Ideal Wrap is the perfect way to save the other half for later!

Annual mango production in India reaches over 18 million tons – roughly 50% of the entire global supply!

Mango is native to India as well as its national fruit, and it is commonly referred to as “foods of the gods” and “king of fruits” there. Mangoes have been cultivated in India and south Asia for thousands of years. In fact, the earliest mention of Mangifera indica (which literally means, an Indian plant bearing mangoes, but also, the great fruit bearer) is in Hindu scripture dating back to 4000 B.C.E.

If you love Indian food, you’ve likely tried a mango curry or dal at your favorite Indian restaurant. And if you’ve never tried the Mango Lassi on the menu, you’re seriously missing out. Of course, now that mangoes are in season, you can easily make one yourself. (https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/how-to-make-a-mango-lassi/)

Mexico grows a lot of mangos. According to mexicanmangoes.com, “Mexico is the global leader in exporting mangoes to the world. Mexican exports in 2017 reached a record level of 422,000 tons, demonstrating a rising trend with annual growth of 11.25% over the last five years. The bulk of the export goes to the US and most of the rest goes to Canada.

“At present, Mexico exports around 21% of its total production of mangoes, meaning that its installed capacity can be further leveraged to reach consumers from all around the world.”

The second largest mango exporting country is a little less intuitive. In fact, you probably would never guess that the second largest exporter of mangos worldwide is... the Netherlands. If you’re scratching your head and thinking, aren’t mangos a tropical fruit?, you’re not alone, I thought the same thing. The truth is, the Netherlands exports 80% of what it imports. It’s the mango capital of the EU, serving as a hub for mangos (and other fruits and vegetables) headed to other European nations.

In 2017, the United States imported $656.4M worth of mango, including fresh, dried, frozen, juiced and preserved mango, making up over 23% of global mango imports.

According to Manuel Michel of the National Mango Board, "US mango per capita consumption has increased steadily since 2005 from 1.88 pounds/person, to 3.42 pounds/person in 2017, and represents a growth of 82 percent. Going back twelve to fifteen years, there are three fundamental developments from the supply side that are driving this growth: more availability, better quality, and more value-added options for consumers."

Mexico is the main supplier of mango (particularly fresh mango) to the United States, but dried mango is also imported from Thailand and the Philippines, and frozen mango from Peru.

Why not Indian mangoes, you ask? Mangoes from India must pass stringent tests and go through quarantine when arriving into the United States due to fruit fly and pesticide concerns. In fact, the United States banned Indian mango imports in the 1980s. President Bush lifted the ban in 2007, and in exchange, the Indian government agreed to lift the ban against importing Harley Davidson motorcycles. Politics is so weird. The EU lifted a similar ban on Indian mangoes only last year.

According to the USDA, “As a condition of entry, the mangoes must undergo irradiation treatment and be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with additional declarations providing specific information regarding the treatment and inspection of the mangoes and the orchards in which they were grown. In addition, the mangoes will be subject to inspection at the port of first arrival. This action allows for the importation of mangoes from India into the continental United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests.”

I saved the best for last. When I first discovered mango, it was in the pre-peeled-and-sliced form, boxed neatly in plastic at the grocery store. I continued buying packaged mango (when I could afford it, which wasn't often) because my first experience with peeling a mango myself was ridiculously messy and I wasted half the mango because I didn’t know how to peel and slice it properly. I was more than happy to pay the grocery store to do this terrible work for me. But NOT anymore!

Lo and behold, I came across the pint glass method for peeling mango. And let me tell you, it changed my life.

While still a little messy, the pint glass method is the easiest way to peel a mango. Rather than trying to explain it to you, check out this short video from Melissa Bailey. And if you're using half at a time, Ideal Wrap is the perfect way to save the other half for later!

She also demonstrates how to cube a mango, which is great when adding mango to recipes, like this grilled mango and shrimp skewer recipe that I'm dying to try! Yum!

Mangoes are a tropical fruit that we can buy almost year-round.  Still, it's a sign of spring when they start piling up in front of our markets and the prices begin to drop.  And in this season of wacky weather (it's spring...it's winter...it's spring...etc.), it shouldn't be surprising that I had my first seasonal mango sighting on March 1.

Mangoes are sacred in India where this luscious fruit originated and their orange-gold color is a sign of their super-nutrients, especially beta carotene.  There are hundreds of varieties cultivated around the world, including California and Florida, although many of the mangoes sold here are from Peru.  What nearly all mangoes have in common are a thin green skin that will ripen to yellow, a slightly fiberous pulpy fruit, a large interior seed, and a complex, sweet/astringent flavor.

Produce markets in New York often sell two or three types of mangoes.  As a general rule, there's not a big difference in taste between the smaller, kidney-shaped mangoes and the larger, greener ones.  Since I usually am using mangoes in something full-flavored like a salsa or chutney, whatever the subtle taste difference will be totally masked.  As a result, I choose depending upon what looks best and which are ripe in the store.

When shopping for mangoes, gently feel the fruit for its tenderness.  If the fruit is ripe it will slightly give under your fingers (please don't over-squeeze or you'll damage the fruit and piss off the store manager).  Most mangoes are picked unripe so as to ripen either in the stores or else after you buy it.  Unless you need one that's ready to eat right then, buy one that's still firm because as it will ripen in just a few days (you can speed this up by placing the fruit in a brown paper bag and leave it on a counter, out of the sun).  While you have the mango in your hand, smell it.  As when buying melons or pineapples, you should be able to detect a fruity aroma.  Finally, avoid mangoes that are either very soft or appear bruised.

The large interior seed can make it a bit of a challenge to remove the mango fruit, especially after it's peeled and becomes slippery to handle.  But I don't think there's any secret to the task:  I just use a vegetable peeler to take off the skin and then holding the mango carefully on a cutting board, I use a chef's knife to cut off the four sides and top/bottom, finding the edge of the interior seed with the knife's blade (the fruit will essentially guide you as to where the fruit ends and the seed begins).  I then cut the pieces into dices or slices, depending on what I'm making.

The one exception to this method is to peel the fruit and then continue using a vegetable peeler to make ribbons of mango.  Mango ribbons are a nice touch as a side to fish or meat because the ribbons are big enough for an accent taste, plus it's decorative on the plate.

Mangoes are most often used in one of three ways:  One, eat them naked and plain.  Two, use them as the core ingredient as in a mango ice cream or mousse or smoothie.  Or three -- and this is the most common use for mangoes -- use them as an accent ingredient or flavor in a dish that features another ingredient.

This could mean:

Mango salsa is a bright, slightly acidic companion to a simple piece of fish or a plate of pan-seared shrimp and mango chutney can bring out the flavor of a pork or beef sandwich.  Search any recipe database and you'll find dozens of recipes for both.  I like a mango red onion salsa from Bon Appétit magazine that's listed at Epicurious.com.  I've included the link.

Finally, once you've made a mango salsa, what should you do with it?  I suppose a bag of corn chips might be enough, but I would serve it with tilapia, a healthy and inexpensive white fish.  Dust the pieces of tilapia in some flour to which you've added some salt and black pepper and maybe a pinch of paprika, and quickly sauté the fish in a medium-hot pan with little olive oil, about 2 minutes a side.  Serve the fish with a green vegetable, such as steamed broccolini, plus rice or a grain like quinoa, adding a large spoonful of the mango salsa on the side.

With a dinner like this, you know that spring is absolutely around the corner.

However, South Florida enjoys a month more than the Californian region, having its mango season between May-August instead.

Other US states don’t have the land and climate support for mangoes. So, they rely on these mango-growing states for their supplies. Thanks to Hawaii, the US can have a steady supply of mango and its by-products all year round.

Only Hawaii, North and South Carolina, and South Florida grow a significant number of mangoes to have notable mango seasons in the US.

I’ve distilled the mango season in each region into the table below, where Hawaii is the clear winner with an eight-month-long mango season to keep the entire United States in the mango business.

The Mango season spans May, June, July, and August in South Florida, which is the only region in Florida to cultivate the fruit. Thus, the fruit only grows in Florida’s summer/fall season and not in the winter months.

However, imported mango supply from other US states (like Hawaii and California) and abroad makes up for the deficit on months when the fruit isn’t in season.

The Mango season is between June to August in California. Unlike Florida, Southern and Northern California have the land and climate support for mango trees.

Even so, their mango seasons are the same. Thus, they can’t rely on one another to pick up local supplies in the off-season. Therefore, the weight falls on Hawaii and the imported mango supply to keep the fruit on shelves.

Hawaii has the most extended mango season in the USA, with mango trees in the state fruiting between March and November. This period represents the extended summer in Hawaii as production starts to taper off towards the ushering of the winter months.

Since Hawaii is the single largest domestic supplier of mangoes, the supply hit is taken care of by mango imports which pick up the deficit.

The winter months don’t support the local growth of mangoes in the US, and you’ll usually have to pay more for a limited supply.

Despite that, the US is currently the largest importer of mangoes in the world. So, the imported volume makes up for the drop in local production. That way, you can have mangoes in the winter or any other time.

Hawaii has the most extensive production run of mangoes in the US and usually has its winter between October and April. These months coincide with the start and end of the mango season in the region, underlining the mango scarcity at those times of the year.

Local mango varieties are the best about two months into their season and two months before they go off-season. Mangoes from early and late in the season suffer from a rainfall shortage, making them less juicy and sweet compared to the mid-season picks with ample rain.

Likewise, most of the mangoes sold at the start of the season are the first fruit and had suffered through the previous harsh winter. Once harvested, the mango tree starts throwing up new, juicier options.

Also, the mangoes are usually plucked and stored in large warehouses towards the end of the season. So, while they look fresh, they’ve been off the tree for longer and may not taste as good.

Unless you’re a chef who needs a special kind of mango texture, ripeness, and quality, I suggest you buy a mango anytime you feel like eating one.

While you can wait till later after the season to start eating mangoes, you may as well satisfy your craving by starting now.

However, I understand if you want to save your taste buds for the best mangoes when they come out. After all, that’s something I do with some other fruits too.

You can buy mangoes in your locale even when it’s not in the season due to the constant supply of imported mangoes to augment the local production volume.

Imported mangoes supplement some in-season mangoes to cater to greater demand or take advantage of lower prices where possible.

If you’re used to local mangoes, you may notice a different taste or feel to the imported ones. However, there’s usually not much to separate them, and you won’t be missing out on a lot.

Different mango varieties (like Tommy Atkins, Francis mango, Haden mango, etc.) are available at other times of the year. This spread makes it possible for the general mango family always to be available.

If you want specific varieties, you might have to wait longer.

Here’s a table defining the peak availability of some different mango varieties and when they may be sparsely available.