When Are Figs in Season?

Figs have been cultivated and enjoyed for millennia, and no wonder. Their soft, jammy texture combines with an ultra-sweet flavor and a veritable cornucopia of essential vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants. Imagine eating a berry dipped in honey and you’ll have something close to the fig in mind.

So, when is fig season?

Bit of a trick question: there are actually two! With figs, you get one smaller harvest in early summer and then a larger one either in late summer or early fall. Prices stay fairly consistent, though you might find figs a little dearer during winter. Sales spike with the season – you’ll usually see them at their highest around April or May and then notice another slight increase during August or September.

Whether buying at the end of spring or end of summer, downloading the Fetch shopping rewards app before you head to the grocery store can help you earn rewards on all your purchases. All it takes is a photo of your receipt to start bringing in the points.

How Do Figs Grow?

All figs grow on trees, and those fig trees produce their fruitlets twice a year, once in late spring and again in late summer. They actually stay on the tree when it loses its leaves over winter, then start to grow and ripen again once spring rolls around. U.S. figs are sourced overwhelmingly from the Golden State – 100% of dried figs and 98% of fresh figs grown commercially are from California.

How Long Do Figs Last?

Figs aren’t like your average apple or run-of-the-mill banana – they’re delicate with a very short shelf life. Your figs should last:

• 3 to 4 days on the counter at room temperature.
• 5 to 7 days in the fridge.
• Up to 6 months in the freezer.

Just keep in mind that figs lose some of their flavor when refrigerated or frozen. To enjoy figs at their peak, best to eat them without delay. We’re all about helping you save at the grocery store, but those savings won’t count for much if you end up tipping half your figs into the trash.

How to Pick Figs at the Grocery Store

What with figs being a fairly fussy fruit, it’s well worth learning the produce section wizardry necessary to pick out the best ones available. Here’s a few quick and easy hacks to get you started.

• Gently squeeze each fig. They should have a little give without feeling mushy.
• Wrinkles aren’t a big deal with figs, but the skin should be unbroken and free from any bruises or blemishes. Look for richly colored skin that’s soft to the touch.
• Lift prospective figs to your nose and give them a sniff – ripe figs have a pleasantly mild smell.
• Look for dewy drops oozing from the underside of the fig. That might sound like a reason to ditch it, but that telltale “dewy bottom” means a fig is perfectly ripe and ready for eating.

How to Cut a Fig

A fig can be bitten into right after being plucked from the tree, but say you’d rather cut yours up and perhaps lack access to a fig tree of your very own?

No worries, peeling is easy-peasy. Simply:

1. Cut or twist off the stem.
2. Use a sharp paring knife to score an ‘X’ into the top of the fig, cutting until you’re about 1/3 of the way down.
3. Spread the four sections, then place your knife between the skin and pulp of each and slice along the skin from top to bottom.
4. Remove and discard the skin until you’re left with only the pulp.

How to Eat Fresh Figs

Figs are best eaten raw, and you’re perfectly free to bite right into one – skin, seeds, and all – to enjoy its sweet honeyed flavor. You’ll only need to remove the stem.

You can also remove the skin if it’s not to your taste – some people aren’t so fond of the texture, especially when dealing with late season figs. You can skin a fig using a vegetable peeler, then cut it in half to scoop out the seeds. We love cutting ours in half and adding a liberal dollop of goat cheese or feta.

How to Store Figs

As noted above, figs aren’t the hardiest of fruits. That makes proper storage the name of the game, but where you store them largely comes down to how you’re going to use them:

• For the best flavor and to preserve their stickiness and sweetness, keep your figs on the counter.
• For a firmer and milder fruit good for salads or baking, keep your figs in the fridge.

Just be sure you treat them delicately. Use a container that lets you spread out your figs in a single layer without getting too crowded. Airtight containers are a no-no, so leave them unwrapped. Whether kept on the counter or in the fridge, figs are best laid on their sides since they ripen from the bottom up.

You can also prolong fig season by freezing them whole, halved, or pureed. They won’t have the same intense flavor, but frozen figs are still ideal for making jam, baked goods, or defrosted and used as a healthy ice cream topping.

Can Dogs Eat Figs?

Figs make a healthy treat for dogs thanks to their potassium, calcium, and fiber. All that good stuff contributes to strong bones, healthy blood pressure, and proper digestion – just chop figs into bite-sized pieces before you give them to your dog. Dried figs should be avoided since they are high in sugar, and the fig plant itself is toxic to dogs. The leaves, bark, and branches can lead to serious health conditions.

Can Cats Eat Figs?

Figs might be healthy for dogs in moderation, but cats should avoid them entirely. All parts of the fig plant, including the fruit, are toxic and irritating for felines, so avoid keeping figs within their reach and think twice about keeping the plant inside. Toxicity is relatively low, but it’s still wise to contact a vet immediately if you suspect your cat has pinched and eaten some fig on the sly.

Easy Fig Recipes

Being as how figs have such a long history, us humans have become impressively adept at turning them into preserves and other treats. If you want to flex your fig-fixin’ skills, here are just a few recipes to sink your teeth into.

How to Make Fig Jam

Super simple to make with just a few ingredients, fig jam should be on the radar of anyone looking to give an exotic twist to their standard set of preserves.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. green or purple figs, stemmed and cut into half-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups of sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup of water

Recipe:

1. Toss fig pieces with the sugar in a large, non-reactive saucepan. Let stand, stirring occasionally for around 15 minutes until the sugar is mostly dissolved and figs are juicy.
2. Add lemon juice and water, then bring to a boil. Stir until sugar has completely dissolved.
3. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until fruit has softened and liquid runs off the spoon in thick, heavy drops. This should take around 20 minutes.
4. Spoon your jam into three half-pint jars, leaving a quarter inch of space at the top.
5. Close jars and allow them to cool to room temperature. Store in the fridge for up to 3 months.

How to Make Fig Newtons

Homemade fig newtons knock the socks off anything you’ll buy at the store, and making your own is always going to be a great way to save on groceries. Just keep in mind that this one needs a fair few ingredients, so be sure to maximize your reward points by using our shopping app while putting together your list and snapping your receipt once you’re done.

Filling ingredients:

• 8 oz. dried Turkish or Calimyrna figs, stems removed and cut into quarters
• 2 cups of apple juice
• Pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice

Crust ingredients:

• ¾ cup of all-purpose flour
• ½ cup of whole wheat flour
• ½ teaspoon of baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup of packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Recipe:

1. Simmer your figs, apple juice, and pinch of salt over medium heat in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally until the figs are soft and the juice is syrupy, about 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Let cool, then puree the figs in a food processor with the lemon juice for about 10 seconds.
3. Whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
5. Stir in the flour mixture until it’s just incorporated.
6. Reserve ¾ cup of the dough for the topping, then sprinkle the remaining mixture into a pan before pressing into an even layer using a greased spatula. Bake until just turning golden brown, about 20 minutes.
7. Take your reserve dough and roll it between 2 sheets of greased parchment paper until you get an 8-inch square. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in the freezer until needed.
8. Spread the fig mixture over the baked crust, then take the top crust from the freezer and lay it over the filling, pressing down slightly to make it stick.
9. Bake until the top crust is golden brown, around 25 to 30 minutes, rotating halfway through.
10. Let the bars cool for about 2 hours, then remove from the pan and cut into squares.

How to Make Fig Pudding

Here’s one to break out for your next dinner party – fig pudding is warm, indulgently sweet, and it brings the winning combination of being capable of impressing guests while also being easy-to-make. What a winner.

Ingredients:

• 150g of dried pitted dates, chopped
• 50g of dried figs, chopped
• 480 ml of water
• 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
• 100g of butter, softened
• 200g of caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 315g of self-raising flour
• 75g of dark chocolate, grated
• Sauce ingredients:
• 440g of brown sugar
• 480ml of double cream
• 200g of butter
• Quartered fresh figs for garnish

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 356 F.
2. Add your dates, figs, and water to a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.
3. Once boiled, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the baking soda.
4. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then puree in a blender.
5. Use a hand mixer to cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl, then add the eggs and beat well.
6. Fold in the flour, then the pureed date mixture and the chocolate.
7. Pour the mixture into 4 buttered 225g ramekins, filling each to about halfway. Place your ramekins in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes while you prepare the sauce.
8. For the sauce, stir sugar and cream over low heat in a medium saucepan, simmering until the sugar dissolves.
9. Raise the heat to a boil, then reduce and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until fully incorporated.
10. Remove ramekins from the oven and let them stand for 10 minutes. You can serve in the ramekins or unmolded onto a small plate.
11. Use a paring knife to cut a cross in the top of each pudding, then pour the sauce over and serve topped with fresh figs and either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Fetch is Your Ticket to Earning Rewards on All Your Grocery Store Purchases

Wonderful, you now possess the skills to pick the best fruit each fig season and turn each one into a delicious snack or meal. Just be sure to download our grocery app and snap a photo of each receipt to make even a trip to the store as rewarding as possible.