Fall Produce: Fruit 101

Fall is here and SupermarketGuru wants you to know what's in season. Here’s your guide to fall fruit

Eating “seasonally” will allow you to diversify your diet and you may discover some produce that you love and didn’t even know existed!

What are Fall Fruits? The most abundant seasonal fruits of fall include apples and pears. Their flavors are more delicate and lightly sweet. Season is September through November and will be even more specific for your region.

How to Buy: Fruit should feel heavy for its size and have no blemishes. Apples, cranberries, pineapples, grapes, and quince are picked ripe and ready to eat. Citrus should have little or no green tint.

Choices: There are many varieties to choose from when selecting fall fruit. 
The best apples for baking include Granny Smith, Jonathan, McIntosh and Rome. 
Persimmons are either hard fleshed (Fuyu), or soft (Hachiya or Saijo). Hard ones should be very firm as texture is similar to an apple; soft versions should yield, like pears, yet never be mushy. 
Pineapples should smell lightly sweet at the stem. 
Pomegranates are harvested before maturity and their edible seeds become juicier and more flavorful with age. 
Figs have a second season in fall, close to Thanksgiving; should be unblemished and soft but not mushy. 
Choose pears that are fragrant and free of blemishes.

How to Use: Eat fresh singly or mixed with other fruits; add to salads, yogurt, or cereals; bake alone or with poultry and meats.

How to Store: Refrigerate apples, citrus, pineapples, Asian pears, cranberries, figs, quince, and grapes. 
Pomegranates can be refrigerated for 2 or 3 months. Crack and open them in a bowl of cold water to release the seeds. 
Pears and persimmons can ripen on the counter; check daily for optimum ripeness.

Health Benefits: Fruits provide vitamins, minerals, fiber and unique phytonutrients. Two or 3 servings a day are optimum.

Smarter Shopping: Fruits that can be refrigerated for weeks warrant buying when on sale