Nectarines
Peak season in the Midwest · up 16% this week
This fruit is at its local-harvest peak from June through September, and is generally in stores from May through October. This week it's peak season in the Midwest — buying it in season usually means better quality and, as the regional prices below show, a lower price.
Per a typical 142g serving, scaled from the per-100g figures in USDA FoodData Central (Nectarines, raw).
- 1 MidwestCheapest $1.98/lb
- 2 Southcentral $2.13/lb
- 3 Southwest $2.14/lb
- 4 Northeast $2.65/lb
- 5 Southeast $2.72/lb
Buying nectarines in the Midwest saves about 27% versus the Southeast this week.
- How to pick a good one
- The same fruit as a peach without the fuzz, and the same rules apply: sweet aroma at the stem, slight give along the seam, and no green in the background colour. The smooth skin makes bruising and shrivelling easier to spot.
- What a good price looks like
- They track peaches closely, usually within 25 cents a pound, and share the same June-to-August peak. Under $2 a pound is a good buy. When the two are side by side at the same price, nectarines give you more edible fruit per pound; when peaches are meaningfully cheaper, take the peaches.
- What you actually get
- A pound is about three medium nectarines, giving roughly 2 cups sliced. Waste is lower than peaches because nothing is peeled — around 8% for the pit. That makes nectarines slightly better value than peaches at the same shelf price, which they rarely are.
- How to store it
- Counter until fragrant and yielding, then the fridge for a few days. Do not stack them; the weight bruises the layer underneath.
- In the kitchen
- Handled exactly like a peach, with one advantage: no fuzz, so no peeling step for most uses. The skin is thinner and stays pleasant in a crumble or a salad. They tend to be slightly firmer than peaches at the same ripeness, which makes them better for grilling — halve, oil the cut face, and put them on a hot grill until they mark.
- Getting the most out of it
- Because there is no fuzz there is no reason to peel, which makes them faster than peaches for salads, salsa, and grilling. They grill particularly well — halve, oil the cut face, and give it hard direct heat for a few minutes.
- Burrata Salad with Tomato & NectarineRecipe by Feasting at Home~$1.63 / serving 4 in-season
- How to Make a Killer Caprese Salad PlatterRecipe by Foodie Crush~$1.77 / serving 3 in-season
- 20 Minute Crispy Honey Ginger SalmonRecipe by Half Baked Harvest~$1.84 / serving 6 in-season
- Everything But the Kitchen Sink Pasta Salad.Recipe by Half Baked Harvest~$1.95 / serving 4 in-season
- Nectarine and Wisconsin Burrata Bite CrostiniRecipe by Foodie Crush~$3.28 / serving 2 in-season
- Browned Butter Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon "Toast" Brioche CrumbsRecipe by Half Baked Harvest~$0.85 / serving 1 in-season
See all 23 recipes with nectarines →Filter by diet, time, budget, and macros.
Price from the USDA National Retail Report. Nutrition per typical serving, computed from USDA FoodData Central.
Nectarines — FAQ
When can you buy nectarines in season?
This fruit is at its local-harvest peak from June through September, and is generally in stores from May through October. This week the Midwest has nectarines marked peak season.
What's the price of nectarines right now?
As of the week of September 4, 2026, the price of nectarines in the Midwest is $1.98/lb, up 16% from last week.
How many calories and how much protein are in nectarines?
A typical 142g serving of nectarines has about 62 calories, 1.6g protein, 15.1g carbohydrates, 0.4g fat, and 2.4g fiber, per USDA FoodData Central.
What can I make with nectarines?
SeasonSort indexes 23 recipes that use nectarines, each with its cost per serving computed from this week's prices — starting from about $0.85 a serving. The cheapest are listed on this page, with a link to the full filtered list.