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Make a Good Pick

How good are you at selecting produce?  What are the signs of optimal freshness?  Are you in a fruit and veggie rut?  Do you always eat the same old thing?  When was the last time that you experimented with a new variety of produce?  It's awful hard to get five to nine total servings of fruits and vegetables each day if you don't increase your knowledge of seasonal produce.  In each issue, we'll offer tips and tricks to help you hit your numbers.

In this issue:  Tomatoes

It's still hot out there and an excellent time to take advantage of the fresh fruits and vegetables for maintaining your peak level of performance. In season are those red, ripe tomatoes that are a wonderful source of your Vitamin C and Vitamin A, almost 30% of your daily requirements in just one tomato!

When selecting your tomatoes, look for bright, shiny skins and firm to the touch. Avoid any blemishes, defects, or cracks in the skin that protects the delicious flavor inside. Select tomatoes at various degrees of ripeness so you always have the best to eat. Keep them at room temperature until they are ripe, never put an unripe tomato in the refrigerator…it will destroy the flavor and stop the ripening process. Once fully ripe, the tomato can be refrigerated for a few days.

For something really different for your salads, try the new Grape Tomatoes. They are generally sweeter and more flavorful than the other varieties of tomatoes. These are a great alternative to sweets for your kids.