When is broccoli cheapest?

The best time to buy broccoli, from 14 years of U.S. government shelf prices.

A small season

Broccoli is cheapest in May, but the season is small.

Over 2006–2019, May ran a typical 3% below trend and January 3% above, and May was below trend in 13 of 14 years. Worth knowing if you buy a lot of broccoli or can stock up; otherwise a store sale beats the calendar.

Broccoli: price by month

Typical price each month compared with that year’s trend, 2006–2019. The bar is the median year; the thin line spans the middle half of years.

−12%−10%−8%−6%−4%−2%trend+2%+4%+6%+8%+10%+12%Jan+3%January: typically 3% above trend (half of years between +0.2% and +11%; 14 years)FebFebruary: typically 1.4% above trend (half of years between −1.9% and +8%; 14 years)MarMarch: typically 0.4% above trend (half of years between −2.9% and +4%; 14 years)AprApril: typically 0.3% below trend (half of years between −2.9% and +2.7%; 14 years)May−3%May: typically 3% below trend (half of years between −6% and −1.1%; 14 years)JunJune: typically 0.1% below trend (half of years between −4% and +1.9%; 14 years)JulJuly: typically 2.4% below trend (half of years between −5% and +0.2%; 14 years)AugAugust: typically 2.8% below trend (half of years between −5% and −1.9%; 14 years)SepSeptember: typically 2.5% below trend (half of years between −6% and −0.6%; 14 years)OctOctober: typically 0.1% below trend (half of years between −4% and +5%; 13 years)NovNovember: typically 0.5% above trend (half of years between −2.3% and +7%; 13 years)DecDecember: typically 1.7% above trend (half of years between −4% and +6%; 13 years)
cheaper than the year’s trend dearer middle half of years
See the numbers as a table
MonthTypical vs trendMiddle half of yearsYears
January+3%+0.2% to +11%14
February+1.4%−1.9% to +8%14
March+0.4%−2.9% to +4%14
April−0.3%−2.9% to +2.7%14
May−3%−6% to −1.1%14
June−0.1%−4% to +1.9%14
July−2.4%−5% to +0.2%14
August−2.8%−5% to −1.9%14
September−2.5%−6% to −0.6%14
October−0.1%−4% to +5%13
November+0.5%−2.3% to +7%13
December+1.7%−4% to +6%13

A note on the years

BLS stopped publishing a national average price for broccoli after March 2020 (the last one was $1.97 a pound), so this pattern covers 2006–2019. Seasons like this come from harvests and holidays and change slowly, but treat the size of the swing as history.

Every year, its cheapest month

Each row is one year; the dot is the month broccoli was cheapest relative to that year’s trend. May was the single cheapest month in 2 of 13 years; the rest of the time it moved around.

20182018: cheapest in September20172017: cheapest in January20162016: cheapest in December20152015: cheapest in May20142014: cheapest in August20132013: cheapest in May20122012: cheapest in October20112011: cheapest in August20102010: cheapest in August20092009: cheapest in September20082008: cheapest in September20072007: cheapest in June20062006: cheapest in NovemberJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
See it as a table
YearCheapest month
2018September
2017January
2016December
2015May
2014August
2013May
2012October
2011August
2010August
2009September
2008September
2007June
2006November

More from the calendar

What else is cheap in May: what’s cheap in May. Vegetables: tomatoes (Aug), iceberg lettuce (Aug), romaine (Jun), bell peppers (Sep), potatoes (Dec). All 39 foods: the grocery price calendar.

Questions

What month is broccoli cheapest?

May. Over 2006–2019 the U.S. average price of broccoli in May was typically 3% below that year's trend, and below it in 13 of 14 years. January is the dearest month (3% above).

What is the most expensive month for broccoli?

January, typically 3% above the year's trend price.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data (U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted), the shelf prices BLS collects every month for the Consumer Price Index, through October 2026. Seasonal pattern and every number on this page computed by Online List Maker; how.

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