With each season we tend to enjoy our favorite foods. Winter is no exception and if you want to enjoy snacks and meals that are not only healthy but taste great, you’ll want to turn to winter’s bounty of fruits. While most of us enjoy eating certain fruits in their natural state, you may want to get more creative this winter by adding them to new or existing recipes that will satisfy the taste buds of the entire family. Winter fruits are the perfect way to keep everyone healthy and in a good mood.

Pears serve as an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C. There are a variety of pears available at the store, all with their own colors and textures, so choose the kind that best suits your taste buds. Even though pears taste wonderful alone, you can easily add sliced pears into a garden salad for added flavor, or you can even bake them and throw them into a cake or tart. Keep the pears at room temperature until them become ripe, then place them in your fridge for 1-2 days. To avoid discoloration, rub your slices of raw pears with lemon juice to preserve them.

For a bounty of vitamins A and C you can turn to pomegranates. This fruit has a shelf life of two weeks when kept in the fridge and is a great ingredient to add to drinks, desserts, and even soup. For the more creative chefs, pomegranate can be cooked as marmalade or even used in custard.  

Grapefruits contain plenty of fiber, folate, and vitamin C. This bitter fruit makes for a tasty salad and is also ideal when paired with certain fish dishes. You can choose from either white grapefruit or ruby red grapefruit. If you plan on consuming your grapefruits right away, you can keep them at room temperature, where they’ll last for about 10 days or you can store them in the refrigerator, where they’ll last for 2-3 weeks.

If you’ve got a party, you’ll want to do everyone a favor and serve your next cheese and nuts platter with a helping of red grapes. These types of grapes are a perfect source of vitamin C and can be enjoyed as they are. Be sure to thoroughly clean them before serving and refrigerate afterwards. Red grapes tend to last about one week in the fridge. Not only are they ideal for adding to a snack platter but they also make a good addition to a garden salad.

For those that love oranges, try something new this winter by picking up a couple of blood oranges. Containing healthy levels of folate, vitamin C, and fiber, blood oranges are a great ingredient for use in many culinary dishes, such as soufflé, with certain fish, sauces, and even mixed drinks.

Bananas continue to be a fun and delicious fruit to enjoy all year-round. Equipped with plenty of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium, bananas are great for use in almost any recipe. Bananas can be enjoyed in a smoothie, muffin, bread, pudding, cake, and can even be broiled for a creative dessert platter.

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