When Is Cabbage In Season? Here's The Best Time To Buy It

If you've suddenly noticed that cabbage is everywhere, there's a reason. Well, there are a couple. You can buy cabbage all year round in most supermarkets, but its true season runs from late fall into early spring. It's very much a cold-weather vegetable. In fact, a light frost can even improve the flavor, which is why winter heads often taste a little sweeter than those harvested in summer. 

But to say cabbage is in season now is a bit of an oversimplification because the truth is, there are many types of cabbage that grow in different climates. Among the most popular winter cabbages are green cabbage, red cabbage, and savoy. Pointed cabbage — also known as sweetheart or hispi cabbage — is typically harvested in spring and is less robust. 

Cabbage bought during its peak season is incredibly affordable, doesn't go bad easily (lasting up to two months in the crisper drawer), and can be used in a variety of exciting ways. But once it's out of season, the quality will dip slightly and the prices may do the opposite. So knowing when to buy it pays off.

2026 has actually been dubbed "The Year of the Cabbage" by Vogue, so you're not just imagining it: this vegetable is trending. More experimental chefs and people on plant-based diets, however, have been waving the cabbage flag for years already.

And while there are likely many reasons why it's taken until now for a year to be dedicated to this cruciferous vegetable, part of its appeal may stem from the fact that the new year occurs during winter. Fresh produce is limited in the colder months, and cabbage is a versatile veggie you can use in favorite comforting dishes, like cabbage rolls (which some people call "pigs in a blanket"), or even a vegan take on steak. You could also ferment it into a jar of spicy kimchi or get creative and use it in new ways, like swapping cabbage in for a burger bun. 

For the cheap price it costs to buy one big head of cabbage, it can be spread across multiple meals in a variety of ways. Every year when winter arrives and options for fresh vegetables narrow, cabbage really shows us what it's made of — and we love that.