May - M-DCPS Department of Food and Nutrition - Miami

Zucchini
Origin—New Mexico and
Southwest United States.
Family—Cucurbitaceae.
Description—Commonly designated as a vegetable,
but is a fleshy, edible fruit. Zucchini can be dark or light
green, and generally have a similar shape to a ridged cucumber, although some round varieties are also available.
Availability—Year round.
Nutrition– Made up of 95% water and is an
excellent source of vitamin A and C.
Usage—Eaten fresh as an appetizer, in salads and sandwiches.
Storage—Refrigerate in plastic bag.
Additional Resources
CDCwww.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov
Produce for Better Health Foundationwww.pbhfoundation.org
Honeydew Melon
Origin— Africa, Persia and India.
Family— Cucurbutaceae.
Description— Smooth, firm pale cornflower
colored skin that encases sweet, pale green flesh.
Round to oval and somewhat larger than a Cantaloupe, this melon’s skin turns from green to white
to yellow as it matures. As the honeydew ripens,
its skin
transforms from very hard and smooth
to a velvety texture and often develops a slight
stickiness.
Availability— Year Round.
Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer
Serviceswww.florida-agriculture.com
Dole Nutrition Institutewww.dolenutrition.com
www.dole5aday.com
Let’s Move– America’s Move to Raise a
Healthier Generation of Kidswww.letsmove.gov
Nutrition— Excellent source of vitamin C.
Usage— Eaten fresh, in fruit salads and desserts,
ideal for cold soup.
Yellow Nectarine
Origin— California
F RESH F RUIT &
V EGETABLE P ROGRAM
Availability— Summer
Description— Yellow nectarines are sweet and
fruity with the perfect amount of acid, displaying the
best flavor spectrum of not just a stone fruit but of all
fruits.
F RESH F RUIT &
V EGETABLE P ROGRAM
M IAMI D ADE C OUNTY P UBLIC S CHOOLS
D EPARTMENT OF F OOD AND N UTRITION
Phone: 786-275-0400
Fax: 786-275-0841
Website: http://nutrition.dadeschools.net
Department of Food and Nutrition
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Pineapple
Origin—Brazil and Paraguay.
Family—Bromeliacceae.
Description—This oval to cylindrical-shaped fruit is both juicy and fleshy with the stem serving
as the fibrous core. The flesh ranges from nearly white to
yellow. In size the fruits are up to twelve inches long and
weigh one to ten pounds or even more.
Availability—Year round, peaking from March to June.
Nutrition—High in manganese and vitamin C.
Usage—Pineapples can be cut up and eaten fresh, as dessert, in salads, compotes or cooked in pies, cakes, puddings,
or as a garnish on ham, or make into sauces or preserves.
Pineapple juice can also be used as a marinade or as a tenderizer for meats.
Storage—At best, pineapples may be stored for no more
than 4-6 weeks at 44.6-46.4°F (7-8°C) and above with 8090% relative humidity and adequate air circulation.
Grape Tomato
Origin—Central America.
Family—Solanaceae.
Description—Range in size from a thumb tip up to the
size of a golf ball, and can range from being spherical to
slightly oblong in shape.
Nutrition—A good source of vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium,
phosphorus and copper. A great source of dietary fiber,
vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium and manganese.
Usage— Eaten raw in salads, on top of bruschetta, with
dip as an appetizer or as a garnish.
Storage—Room temperature.
Florida Grown
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
Peaches
Origin—All peaches are native to China, where
wild peaches still grow today.
Family—Rosaceae.
Rambutan
Origin – Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.
Description – Pronounced ram-BYU-tn, varies in type and quality. The fruit may be greenish-yellow, or orange are oval-shaped
and usually 1-2 inches long. The soft, flexible
exterior shell is covered in stiff, hair-like bristles. Flesh is juicy,
milky- white, translucent in color, with a grape-like, gelatinous
texture surrounding a central seed with an almond-like taste. The
flavor of a rambutan is more acidic than the lychee, sweet and very
aromatic.
Availability – Trees fruit twice a year, yielding crops beginning
late June through August and in December through January.
Nutrition – Excellent source of vitamin C, calcium, niacin, iron,
protein and fiber.
Usage – Eaten fresh.
Description—Yellow peaches are the quintessential
peach. They are distinguished by their fuzzy thin skin with
hues of red, pink and gold blushing throughout. The flesh
is aromatic, juicy when ripe, and golden colored with red
bleeds at the skin and surrounding the central rough surfaced rust colored pit. They are often identified as a traditional “true” peach, meaning fruit exudes a classic peach
flavor, balancing sugar and acid for a well-rounded flavor.
Nutrition – Rich in vitamin A, potassium and magnesium, as well as iron.
Chayote Squash
Usage – Eaten fresh, dried, pureed, roasted, grilled,
baked or cooked into jams.
Description— Chayote squash is defined by its ubiquitous
Usage—Peaches are great for fresh eating,
poaching,
baking, grilling, and processing into jams, syrups, ice
creams and preserving in syrups. They can be utilized for
fresh fruit salads, for savory salads and appetizers and for
desserts such as cakes and pies.
Apricot
Origin – First cultivated in India. In the US,
apricots are grown in California and Washington State.
Family – Rosaceae.
Description – Resembling a small peach, the apricot has
a soft skin varying in color from pale yellow to deep orange with a hint of pink blush. The white to orange pulp
has a sharper flavor than the peach and offers a honeysweet, slightly tangy juice. A ripe apricot will be fragrant
and give to the touch, but should not be too soft.
Availability – Spring until early fall.
Blueberries
Origin—North and South America, Asia, and Europe.
Family—Ericacceae.
Origin— Mesoamerica, specifically central Mexico
pear-like shape, its pale lime green coloring and the deep linear
indentations along the fruit's thin skin that meet at its flower
end. Its creamy white hued flesh has a semi-crisp texture that
becomes succulent to cottony as it matures. Its central core contains small seeds, which though edible are most often discarded.
Availability— All year round.
Description—Sweet to tart flavor when they are ripe.
The riper the berry the sweeter it tastes. The dusty film on
a blueberries skin, called a “bloom,” forms a natural waterproofing and helps protect the berries from the sun.
Jicama
Availability—Year Round.
Family—Fabaceae.
Nutrition—High in vitamin C and fiber, sodium-free, and
naturally low in fat and cholesterol.
Description—(HEE-ka-mah) Grows in all sorts of irregular
shapes and offers a delicious white crisp flesh tightly wrapped in a
ivory colored easy-to-peel skin. Raw jicama taste is described as
crisp, sweet and nutty, a cross between an apple and a potato.
Usage—Sold fresh or processed as an individually quick
frozen fruit, pureed, juiced, or dried.
Storage—Fresh berries can be stored unwashed in a plastic
container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks if they
have been freshly picked. Blueberries can also be frozen for
future cooking.
Florida Grown
Origin—Mexico, Central and South America.
Availability—Year round with a peak season between December and June.
Nutrition—Low in sodium and a good source of potassium and
vitamin C.
Usage—Eaten fresh or used in vegetable platters.
Storage—Refrigerate in plastic bag for up to two weeks.
Availability—Year round, with a peak season in late
spring through summer.
Nutrition—Low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.
It is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, niacin and
potassium, and a very good source of vitamin C.
Storage—Peaches can be stored on the counter at room
temperature. When ripe, peaches should be stored in the
refrigerator for up to five days.
Florida Grown
Aprium
Origin – Hybrid developed in Modesto, California by
Floyd Zaiger. This remarkable fruit’s percentage is 25%
plum and 75% apricot.
Description – This hybrid produces a dark-colored skin,
a physical trait inherited from its black plum percentage,
and is covered with pale colored scant fuzz inherited from
its other parent, the apricot. The aprium offers a dense
texture similar to a plum.
Availability – In early May and are only available for a
couple of weeks.
Usage – Eaten fresh, baked or cooked.
Storage – Refrigerate ripe fruit one to two days for optimum quality and flavor.