The old adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” is closer to the truth than you might think. These crisp fall fruits come packed with health-boosting nutrition and easily fit into your daily diet. Eat an apple a day for...
Fall signals the return of apple season, and in fact, the months of September, October and November are National Apple Months. Let’s celebrate with some fun facts — and, of course, by biting into a crisp and delicious apple today!
We might be well into late summer, but the bounty of the season just keeps on coming in Northern California. Now is the perfect time to check out the local summer squash available in our produce department: we have yellow crookneck, zucchini and eightball varieties on hand that are super-delicious this time of year.
Hot summer days, cooler air at night … the climate in the Capay Valley creates the perfect growing conditions for tomatoes, and now that we’re well into late summer, we’re reaping all the rewards. Our produce department is packed full of delicious gems from Full Belly Farms, from gorgeous heirloom tomato varieties, to crisp, juicy cherry tomatoes just waiting to jump into your salad bowl. Take home this great tomato tip we learned from our friends at Full Belly Farms: tomatoes don’t like to get too cold, so don’t stick them in the refrigerator unless they’re getting over-ripe.
Summertime calls for cooling off and hydrating! Eating a healthy dose of fruits and veggies is an easy and delicious way to boost hydration during the summer months. Fresh fruit and veggies can supply about one fifth of your daily fluid needs. Some fruits and veggies are particularly hydrating given their high water content and rich supply of potassium, which plays a big role in body fluid balance.
These tiny seedlings are BIG on health-boosting nutrition. Compared to the mature versions of kale, basil, cilantro and other greens, micro greens boast anywhere from twice to five times the levels of phytonutrients, which are believed to ward off age-related ailments such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease, and they’ve also been shown to protect heart and eye health. Use micro greens in salads, stuff them into sandwiches and wraps, or use them to top tacos — then sit back and enjoy the huge health benefits!
When you think “kiwi,” you probably think “green and fuzzy,” right? But did you know that some varieties of kiwi actually have smooth skin and yellow fruit? One delicious example is the Zespri Sungold Kiwi, which, unlike its traditional green cousins, features a smooth-skinned exterior and a surprising golden center. These kiwis feature a tropical-sweet flavor that we love — they’re super refreshing on a hot summer day.
When it comes to items from our produce department, corn might just hold the title for “Most Summery Vegetable.” There’s nothing quite like biting into a juicy ear of fresh summer corn-on-the-cob (and we definitely won’t judge if that corn just happens to be dripping in butter!). Some of our very favorite corn comes from local producer Vierra Farms in West Sacramento.
What we call a Seedless Black Watermelon (because of its extremely dark green skin) is actually properly known as an Imagination Melon. Whatever its name, we love this melon for its great consistency and flavor. And we really love the fact that they are locally grown, just down the street from our West Sacramento store. At the start of spring, Dave Vierra begins planting his Imagination Melons in preparation for the summer season. Dave’s love of farming was evident when, at 13 years old, he planted his first pumpkin patch, and by the time he was 18, Vierra farms was born. Fast–forward to today and Vierra now farms over 800 acres of rich local soil, right in our own backyard.
California grown Black Mission Figs are lusciously sweet with a texture that combines the chewiness of their flesh, the smoothness of their skin and the crunchiness of their seeds. They're a great source of potassium and dietary fiber. Black Mission Figs are only in season late spring through early winter so eat ‘em while you can!