2.  Ready to eat and enjoy  Colorful, flavorful, and easy to prepare.  Ideal for snacks as well as meals.  Supply us with a wide variety of nutrients.

3.  Carbohydrates (sugar, starch, & fiber)  Vitamins and minerals  Vitamin C  Potassium  Folic acid-Vitamin B  Beta Carotene—Vitamin A  Fat-free, low in calories and sodium

4.  Definition: the part of a plant that holds the seeds  Fruit Types:  Berries- juicy, have thin skin, are small. Ex. strawberries, grapes, blackberries, blueberries  Melons- thick rind or outer skin, juicy, usually have many internal seeds, and larger than berries Ex. Watermelon and cantaloupes.  Citrus fruits- thick rind and have a thin membrane separating inner flesh segments Ex. Oranges, lemons and tangerines.

5.  Drupes- single hard seed, also called a pit or stone. Inner flesh soft, covered by a tender edible skin. Ex. Cherries, peaches, and plums.  Pomes- have thick, firm flesh with a tender, edible skin. Central core contains several small seeds. Ex. Apples and pears.  Tropical Fruits- grown in tropical and subtropical climates. Ex. Bananas, papayas, and mangos.

6.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are agricultural products known as produce(#5)  Some fresh fruits are available all year like apples, oranges and bananas. Some are seasonal like berries and peaches.  Fruits must be picked when mature (#6). Mature fruits have reached their full size and color.  When a mature fruit reaches its peak of flavor and is ready to eat, it becomes a ripe fruit. (tender and pleasant aroma)

7.  Under ripe fruits are mature,very firm, lack flavor, they have not reached top eating quality. Most fruits are picked under ripe (#7)to prevent them from spoiling during shipping. Ripen during shipping and after purchase.  Grapes, berries, cherries, citrus fruits, pineapples and melons, do not ripen after harvest and must be picked when fully ripe.  Immature fruits are fruits that are picked too soon and are not mature. They will never ripen.

8. PREPARATION (#8)  Always wash under cool water, even if you plan to peel. Avoid soaking because you can lose flavor and nutrients.  Never use detergents to wash fruits. They may react chemically with pesticides and waxes.  Remove stems and damaged spots.  Pare, peel or cut up as needed.

9. (# 9) Enzymatic browning can occur when with fruits like apples, bananas, and peaches. You can stop this by dipping them in ascorbic acid, orange, lemon and grapefruit juice will work. SERVING OPTIONS (#10)  sliced-like bananas and kiwi  Bite size and place on a skewer  Arrange on a platter in circles or wedges alternating color.  Use a melon –ball tool or small scoop to make balls.  Serve fruit with dip.  Make frozen fruit bites, freeze berries or grapes.  Make into desserts.

10. (#11)  Canned- convenient and easy to store.  Come in many forms, whole, halved, sliced, and in pieces.  Usually packed in a light or heavy syrup, adds extra sugar. (look for fruits packed in water or own juices)  Added flavors like vanilla or cinnamon.

11.  Dried-nutritious, but have a high concentration of natural sugar.  Common- raisins, prunes, dates, peaches, apples, apricots, and cranberries.  Often mixed with other foods for a healthy snack, ex. Nuts and seeds.  Used in cooking and baking. Some need to be reconstituted. Adding water to restore.  Frozen- similar to fresh fruits and still nutritious.  Softer texture when defrosted.  Gets mushy, so serve still partially frozen.

12. (#12)  Nutrients-loss of heat sensitive nutrients, especially vitamin C  Color- Colors change, depends on fruit. Some lighter, while others develop a darker color.  Flavor- change slightly. Become mellow and less sharp and acidic. Overcooking tends to lose flavor.  Texture and Shape- when heat is applied to fruits, the cells in the fruits tend to lose water and soften. Start to fall apart. Become tender and easy to digest. Shape is lost, to keep shape, add sugar to cooking water.

13. (#13) 1. To hold Shape:  Poach them  Use firm fruits: apples, peaches, plums or pears  Leave whole or cut into fairly large pieces.  Add sugar and water in a saucepan to cover the fruit.  Cover the pan and simmer gently just until tender. (Rapid boiling will break them apart.)

14. 2. Sauce  Cut fruits into small pieces.  Leave small berries whole.  Add a small amount of water, just enough to cover the bottom of pan.  Simmer in a tightly covered pan, stirring occasionally to break fruit apart.  At the end, add sugar, honey or another sweetener if you wish.

15. (#14) FRYING Fruits can be fried, usually served as a side dish.  Fruits for frying should be firm enough to hold their shape.  If canned, drained.  Can be sautéed in a small amount of fat until lightly browned.  Batter dipped, cut up fruit in a batter and deep- fried until golden brown- Fritters  Examples: Fried apples on pancakes or pork, Bananas or Pineapple slices.

16. BAKING  Fruits can be baked alone or as part of a recipe.  Can be baked whole, peeled or cut into pieces.  Use apples, pears, bananas, or other firm fruits that hold shape.  Can be used in many baked goods, including pies, cakes, cobblers, and muffins.

17. (#15)  Never wash fruits before storing them. Do this when you are ready to use. When you wash fruit, any remaining moisture encourages bacteria to grow.  Use the right method to help fruits last longer:  Under ripe- keep at room temperature until ripe. To speed up ripening, place in a brown paper bag.  Bananas- store bananas at room temperature, uncovered. They can be refrigerated after ripening. Skin will turn dark, but the bananas keep their eating quality.

18.  Berries, cherries, and grapes: Sort them and discard any damaged or decayed. Refrigerate, use as soon as possible.  Citrus: Store citrus fruits at room temperature, refrigerate them uncovered for longer storage.  All other ripe fruit: Refrigerate uncovered in the crisper.  Cut Fruits: refrigerate in an airtight container or plastic bag.  KEY: Most should be used within a few days, except citrus and apples.