Fresh Fruits for Summer
Nothing tastes better on a hot summer day than a fresh piece of fruit. But with the ability for vendors to sell seasonal fruits year round, it’s hard to tell which ones are actually the best summer fruits and which ones are considered garden fresh all year long. Here is a list of summer fruits in season, the best time to consume them, which fruits available year round, and other helpful tips and facts!
Summer is my all time favourite season for fruits and vegetables. It's the height of the season. Your body is craving lighter foods that are juicy, nourishing and bursting with vitamins and minerals! Here are some of my favorite along with a brilliant recipe to go with!
Summertime fruit
Apricot Season: Early - late summer. Colour should be rich orange and texture slightly soft. Apricots are an excellent source of vitamins A & C and are a good dietary source of fiber and potassium.
Blackberries: Mid-late summer. Best to buy these when shiny and plump. Rinse blackberries only when they are about to be eaten or frozen. Rinsing right away to eat later promotes quick rotting.
Blueberries: May - October. Purchase when berries are a deep blue hue with a whitish, silvery bloom. Berries should be firm and heavy feeling. The blueberry should taste both tart and sweet.
Cantaloupe: June - August. Ripe melons sound hollow when tapped. They also feel heavy for their size and they should have a slightly strong, sweet aroma to them.
Cherries: May - August. The best cherries are plump, bright and have no blemishes. Cherries naturally grow in groups or pairs, so the best ones to purchase are the ones with the stems still joined together.
Grapes: End of summer. Premium grapes are plump and wrinkle-free and the stems should look healthy. Grapes are a great source of manganese and have significant amounts of vitamins C, B1, and B6.
Peach Season: Early - late summer. The best peaches feel heavy for their size and have a slight softness to them. Nectarines follow these same rules as they are considered fuzz-less peaches.
Of all of these fruits, strawberries are my favourite.