Enjoy apples now and for months to
We’ve all heard an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But did you know an apple before grocery shopping means you will buy more fruits and vegetables?
Researchers at Cornell University found that people who ate a healthy snack before grocery shopping purchased 25% to 28% more produce than those who ate a cookie or nothing at all before heading to the store.
Take advantage of apple season to incorporate this healthy habit into your lifestyle. Have an apple or other healthy snack before your next trip to the grocery store. Your healthier mindset will have you filling your cart with more fruits and vegetables.
Then tantalize your taste buds by trying some new-to-you apple varieties. You’ll find a wide variety at farmer’s markets, orchards and retailers this time of year. Many offer samples and provide recipes and recommendations for the best snacking, baking, and processing varieties. Or buy a collection of apples and conduct your own taste test.
Extend your enjoyment with proper storage. Use bruised, cut, or damaged fruit as soon as possible and only store apples that are firm and blemish-free.
Mature apples store best in temperatures between 32 and 39 degrees with 95% humidity. Providing ideal storage conditions is not always possible. Maximize their storage life by placing apples in perforated plastic bags in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. The plastic bag helps increase the humidity around the fruit while allowing air to flow through the holes.
If refrigerator space is limited, consider preserving some of the apples. Make them into sauce or apple pie filling for canning. Peel, chop, cook and dry apples into fruit leathers for snacking. Make and freeze apple pies for a quick and easy dessert to simply bake and serve when needed.