When are grapes cheapest?

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

Worth timing

Buy grapes in September if you can.

Over 2006–2019, grapes in September ran a typical 21% below the year’s trend price, and September was below it in 12 of 12 years. May is the dearest month (20% above): a 41-point swing, one of the biggest in the grocery store.

U.S. table grapes are mostly a California crop, picked from late spring into the fall. In winter and spring, stores rely largely on imported grapes.

Grapes: 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.

−25%−20%−15%−10%−5%trend+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%JanJanuary: typically 19% above trend (half of years between +14% and +24%; 12 years)FebFebruary: typically 5% above trend (half of years between −3% and +12%; 12 years)MarMarch: typically 5% below trend (half of years between −11% and +2.8%; 12 years)AprApril: typically 2.1% above trend (half of years between −7% and +9%; 11 years)May+20%May: typically 20% above trend (half of years between +18% and +25%; 12 years)JunJune: typically 0.3% below trend (half of years between −4% and +7%; 11 years)JulJuly: typically 11% below trend (half of years between −13% and −5%; 12 years)AugAugust: typically 20% below trend (half of years between −21% and −15%; 12 years)Sep−21%September: typically 21% below trend (half of years between −23% and −18%; 12 years)OctOctober: typically 12% below trend (half of years between −17% and −10%; 11 years)NovNovember: typically 1.9% below trend (half of years between −8% and +8%; 11 years)DecDecember: typically 19% above trend (half of years between +6% and +24%; 11 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+19%+14% to +24%12
February+5%−3% to +12%12
March−5%−11% to +2.8%12
April+2.1%−7% to +9%11
May+20%+18% to +25%12
June−0.3%−4% to +7%11
July−11%−13% to −5%12
August−20%−21% to −15%12
September−21%−23% to −18%12
October−12%−17% to −10%11
November−1.9%−8% to +8%11
December+19%+6% to +24%11

A note on the years

BLS stopped publishing a national average price for grapes after September 2021 (the last one was $2.36 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 grapes were cheapest relative to that year’s trend. September was the single cheapest month in 6 of 9 years, and the month next to it in 1 more.

20182018: cheapest in November20172017: cheapest in September20162016: cheapest in September20152015: cheapest in September20122012: cheapest in September20112011: cheapest in September20102010: cheapest in August20092009: cheapest in September20062006: cheapest in AprilJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
See it as a table
YearCheapest month
2018November
2017September
2016September
2015September
2012September
2011September
2010August
2009September
2006April

More from the calendar

What else is cheap in September: what’s cheap in September. Fruit: strawberries (Jul), navel oranges (Apr), grapefruit (Mar), lemons (Mar), bananas (Dec), peaches (Aug), cherries (Jul). All 39 foods: the grocery price calendar.

Questions

What month are grapes cheapest?

September. Over 2006–2019 the U.S. average price of grapes in September was typically 21% below that year's trend, and below it in 12 of 12 years. May is the dearest month (20% above).

What is the most expensive month for grapes?

May, typically 20% 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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