Enjoying the Fresh Fruits of Summer

A few generations ago, our grandparents would toil over a garden of vegetables and fruits.  They would till the soil, plant the seeds, weed the garden, and water it every day till it was ready to harvest, and family and friends could enjoy the fruits of their labour. With most families today, for them to enjoy what the summer garden has to offer, they must go down a produce aisle and pick out the freshest fruit they can find, but the problem is; do you know when some fruit is at its best?  Of all the watermelons in the bin, do you know which one to pick?  

Right now, is the height of the fresh fruit season. Cherries are ready to be picked and made into pies, peaches are ready to be canned and berries are ready to be made into jams and jellies, not to mention the absolute delight of picking fruit off the branch and eating it right away. We at esiKidz.com childcare software would like you and your family to enjoy the best of what the summer has to offer us. Have a look at the suggestions for picking the freshest fruits.

General Tips:

1. Check the color of the fruit.  Color is an important factor when determining ripeness.  Usually, the deeper the color, the riper the fruit is.
2. Squeeze the fruit.  Some fruits like apples should be firm, but other fruits like peaches and apricots should not be as firm as the apples.
3. Check the stems.  Fruits like pears and cantaloupes should be a bit softer around the stem.
4. Smell the fruit.  The fragrance of a ripe fruit should be quite noticeable.
5. Look for the luster. Some fruits such as cherries, should have a waxy shiny appearance.  

Selected Fruits:

1. Watermelon.  When buying whole, tap it and see if it sounds hollow. Look at the outside rind, it should have at least a 2-finger width between the bands. Also see if there is a yellow area on one side. If there is no yellow area, it may have been harvested too early.
2. Raspberries, Blueberries, and Strawberries should be plump and firm. Strawberries should be sweet smelling and bright red with bright green leaves. Blueberries should be plum and firm and not shriveled. Always check the packaging to make sure there is no mold.
3. Melons. Melons should feel heavy for their size, that means they are full of juice. When tapped it will sound hollow, and when you smell the cantaloupe, it should have a sweet smell.
4. Pineapple.  A ripe pineapple should have a sweet smell near the stem. Make sure there are no dark spots as this may indicate bruising of the fruit.
5. Stoned Fruits.  Squeeze the plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots, if they are ripe, they will give a little when squeezed and they should have a deep rich color with no green color.

Enjoy the fresh fruits of the season and remember that fruit is an important part of any diet and is only tasty when they are ripe.  Just like picking the freshest fruit in the bin, picking the best software to manage your childcare business is important.  Let Esikidz.com childcare software show you what our revolutionary childcare software can do for you.  If you would like a 30-day free trial accompanied by our in-depth training at no charge, just visit our website at www.esikidz.com childcare software, call us at 778-552-7133 or email us at adele.fussi@esihome-tech.com.