Try These Tasty Canadian-Grown Fruits This Summer

Throughout the year we often get our fruit from out of the country. No, we don’t literally leave the country to pick up our bananas and pears, but a lot of our fruit is important from warmer, tropical areas. The summer, however, is a time when we Canadians can indulge in our local fruits (and veggies!).   

Keep an eye out for the following Canadian-grown fruits at your local farmers’ markets and natural foods grocers.

Apricots
Buy apricots that are bright orange and firm and free of spots. If they’re not quite ready to eat, store them at room temperature out of direct sunlight; otherwise, keep ripe ones in the fridge. Enjoy them as they are or cook them up with a savoury protein, such as in this Chicken with Mango and Apricots.

Blackberries
These antioxidant-rich berries may fight off cancer-causing free radicals. They’re also packed full of vitamins C and K as well as magnesium and dietary fibre. Have them for breakfast in this Rose Fruit Parfait or for dinner with these Flank Steak Fajitas with Berry Salsa.

Cherries
BC produces 5.5 million kg of sweet cherries and 1 million kg of sour cherries annually, about 60 percent of the Canadian cherry crop. The tart cherries especially are rich in antioxidants that help to fight inflammation. Hydrate yourself with this tasty Cherry Meets Peach Infusion spa water.

Gooseberries
These tart beauties are native to Canada and can be found growing wild in most parts of the country except the far north. At least 12 species of the berry grow in Canada, ranging in colour from red to dark purple. Enjoy gooseberries raw, stewed, and in pie fillings, or preserved as a jam, jelly, or syrup.

Nectarines
Related to the peach, these fuzz-free fruits are full of dietary fibre, vitamin C, niacin, and potassium. To pit a nectarine, cut around the circumference of the fruit and twist to expose the pit. Add this local favourite to fruit salads, pies, and parfaits, or pair them with savoury flavours, such as with these Smoked Tofu and Fruit Wraps with Chipotle Cream.

Saskatoon berries
Native to the prairies (as one could assume from its name), Saskatoon berries are rich in antioxidants, their dark purple hue attributed to the high concentration of anthocyanins. These pigmenting flavonoids may offer a variety of health benefits, such as protecting against liver damage, reducing blood pressure, improving eye sight, relieving inflammation, and even suppressing human cancer cells. Try them out in this Peach, Blueberry, and Raspberry Cobbler in lieu of the other berries. 

Strawberries
Few things are more delicious than a ripe strawberry (except, of course, a ripe strawberry dipped in chocolate and then chilled for later!). Plus, they’re packed with nutritional benefits, including 150 percent of our daily recommended vitamin C in just one cup of halved berries. Enjoy fresh, local strawberries in a variety of drinks, breakfasts, desserts, salads, and even savoury main courses.