Fruits of Summer
Apricots
Purchasing and storing
 Do not purchase apricots with any green color to the skin—ripe apricots are firm and plum or
bright orange-gold in color
 Choose apricots that yield to gentle pressure, and with smooth and velvety skin
 Ripen apricots that are not quite ripe in a paper bag at room temperature
 Store ripe apricots in the refrigerator for 1–2 days
Nutrition information
 One medium apricot contains 18 calories, 0 grams (g) protein, 0 g fat, 4 g carbohydrate, 1 g
fiber, 91 milligrams (mg) potassium, 34 micrograms (mcg) vitamin A, and 3.5 mg vitamin C
Uses
 Best when eaten at room temperature
 Broil, grill, or poach
 Use in place of nectarines or peaches in recipes
 Serve with poultry
Other facts
 If you are allergic to aspirin, you should avoid eating apricots
Domestic season
 Mid-May through mid-August
Cherries
Purchasing and storing
 Look for plump, firm cherries
 Keep cherries cool, not at room temperature
 Choose cherries that are 1″ inch or more in diameter, hard, and appropriately colored
– Bing cherries—almost black in color
– Lambert cherries—bright crimson
– Queen Anne cherries—mostly yellow
 Select cherries that still have green stems attached
 Store cherries in the refrigerator, wrapped, for up to 1 week
 Do not wash cherries before storing
 Inspect and remove cherries that are spoiled before storing, because the rot can spread to the
other fruit
Nutrition information
 1 cup (C) of pitted sour cherries contains 78 calories, 2 g protein, 0 g fat, 19 g carbohydrate, 3
g fiber, 268 mg potassium, 99 mcg vitamin A, and 16 mg vitamin C
 1 C of pitted sweet cherries contains 91 calories, 2 g protein, 0 g fat, 23 g carbohydrate, 3 g
fiber, 322 mg potassium, 4 mcg vitamin A, and 10 mg vitamin C
Uses
 Eat sweet cherries by themselves or use in salads and fruit cups
 Use sour cherries in tarts, pies, and preserves
 Make chilled cherry soup, which is quite refreshing in the summer heat
Domestic season
 End of May through early-mid August, depending on variety
Mangoes
Purchasing and storing
 Choose ripe mangoes, which should yield slightly to pressure (its red blush increases as it
ripens)
 Avoid mangoes that have an overabundance of black freckles on the skin, although some are
normal and acceptable
 Ripen mangoes at room temperature
 Place mangoes in a paper or plastic bag to speed ripening
 Store ripe fruit in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 2–3 days
Nutrition information
 One mango contains 135 calories, 1 g protein, 1 g fat, 35 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 323 mg
potassium, 79 mcg vitamin A, and 57 mg vitamin C
Uses
 Eat when slightly chilled for best flavor
 Serve with yogurt, in smoothies, on rice pudding, or with angel food cake, but also excellent
when eaten by itself
 Serve mango puree with fish
Domestic season
 Florida mangoes are available from May through August, with peak season in June and July
Melons
Purchasing and storing
 Choose melons that are symmetrically shaped and free of cracks or soft spots
 Look for a bit of stem at the end of watermelons, but no stem should remain when selecting
other melons
 Disregard the theory of thumping and shaking melons to determine ripeness
 Select honeydew melon that is a pale creamy yellow, with tiny freckles on the skin
 Follow these tips when purchasing a watermelon:
– Choose one that has a moderately shiny rind and a waxy bloom covering it
– Select one with a bottom that is yellow, not green-white
– Do not choose one that has a green stem still attached
– Avoid buying cut watermelon that has white seeds, which is a sign of immaturity
 Store uncut melon at room temperature for 2–4 days, so it can reach full ripeness, and then
store in refrigerator within 2 days
Nutrition information
 1 C of cantaloupe balls contains 60 calories, 1 g protein, 0 g fat, 14 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber,
473 mg potassium, 299 mcg vitamin A, and 65 mg vitamin C
 1 C of honeydew balls contains 64 calories, 1 g protein, 0 g fat, 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber,
404 mg potassium, 5 mcg vitamin A, and 32 mg vitamin C
 1 C of watermelon balls contains 46 calories, 1 g protein, 0 g fat, 12 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber,
172 mg potassium, 43 mcg vitamin A, and 13 mg vitamin C
Uses
 Eat raw, sliced, in pieces, or balls
 Add chopped mint to cut melon
 Blend cantaloupe with wine or orange juice to make a melon soup
 Pickle melon rinds
Other facts
 Cantaloupes are actually muskmelon
 True cantaloupes are grown in Europe and are not generally exported to the United States
Domestic season
 Watermelon—March through August
 Cantaloupe—peak season June through August
 Honeydew—peak season June through October
Peaches
Purchasing and storing
 Select peaches that are slightly soft and free of bruises
 Do not choose green peaches, which were picked when they were unripe and will not become
sweet, even as their color improves
 Know that the amount of pink- or red-colored blush on the peach is not a characteristic of
ripeness, but of variety
 Yellow-fleshed varieties, such as Elberta, Redhaven, and Halford, contain more beta-carotene
than the lighter colored varieties
 Store between 65° F–70° F to ripen peaches within 2–4 days
 Store ripened peaches in the refrigerator for 3–4 days
Nutrition information
 1 medium peach contains 38 calories, 1 g protein, 0 g fat, 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 186 mg
potassium, 16 mcg vitamin A, and 7 mg vitamin C
Uses
 Eat fresh and unadorned
 Use in many meat and chicken dishes, broiled or poached and served warm
 Make pies and cobblers
 Combine peaches and peach yogurt to make a peach smoothie
 Find a recipe and make peach preserves
Domestic season
 April through mid-October, peaking in July and August
Pineapple
Purchasing and storing
 Disregard the theories that thumping a pineapple or pulling the crown leafs are reliable ways to
measure for ripeness
 Look for firm fruit that seems heavy for its size and has fresh-looking green leaves
 Choose a pineapple with a dry base
 Leave pineapple at room temperature for 1–2 days for best results
 Store ripened pineapple in the refrigerator for 3–5 days
 Put cut-up pineapple in plastic storage containers and store in refrigerator for 6–7 days
Nutrition information
 1 C of diced pineapple contains 74 calories, 1 g protein, 0 g fat, 20 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber,
178 mg potassium, 5 mcg vitamin A, and 56 mg vitamin C
Uses
 Serve as is or broiled
 Use in salads
 Bake with sweet potatoes
 Serve on top of pizza
 Add to stir-fry
 Place on skewers or grill slices
 Never use fresh pineapple in gelatin salads, because it contains an enzyme that prevents gelatin
from setting
 Wait to mix pineapple with cottage cheese or yogurt until just before serving
 Use pineapple as a meat tenderizer or for marinades
Domestic season
 Peak season March through June
Strawberries
Purchasing and storing
 Choose berries with a deep, uniform red color and intact green caps
 Do not sweeten berries after picking
 Purchase strawberries that are dry and firm
 Remove any bruised or rotten berries from the container before storing
 Keep strawberries refrigerated
 Never rinse or remove the green cap from strawberries before storing
 Store strawberries, if possible, on a large sheet, no more than 2 deep and cover the tray
 Use within 2–3 days of purchase
Nutrition information
 1 cup of strawberries contains 53 calories, 1 g protein, 1 g fat, 13 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 254
mg potassium, 2 mcg vitamin A, and 98 mg vitamin C
Uses
 Use in salad
 Serve with cereal
 Mix with yogurt or make strawberry smoothies
 Add chopped berries to pancakes, waffles, or muffin batter for extra flavor
Other facts
 Ounce for ounce, strawberries contain more vitamin C than oranges
Domestic season
 Peak season April through July
References and recommended readings
University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension. Selecting fresh fruits and vegetables, 2005. Available
at: http://food.unl.edu/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=6e405311-7f02-4e6c-b6f00471cad98d72&groupId=4091401. Accessed April 28, 2012.
University of Tennessee Extension. A guide to buying fresh fruits and vegetables. Available at:
https://utextension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/SP527.pdf. Accessed April 28, 2012.
US Dept of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. What’s in the food you eat search tool,
1.0. Available at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=7783. Accessed April 28,
2012.
Review Date 5/12
G-0663