Hello, hello! It’s a brand new week with a new set of family mealtime fun! Comment below and tell me how many meals you have done so far this month with your family! Also how many bingo squares have you done??
While you are celebrating all of this family mealtime fun, lets highlight our next ingredient: Apples!
Apples are one of the most commonly eaten fruit in America, and for a good reason! Apples are packed with vitamins and nutrients that keep us healthy while tasting delicious!
Did you know? Apples are part of the rose plant family along with peaches, plums, and cherries!
Health Benefit
They say ‘one apple a day keeps the doctor away’ and this is because of all the healthy benefits that apples provide. Apples are:
- Packed with 9 different types of vitamins (Vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B-6, Folate, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K)- this wide variety will help your body digest food, keep your eyes strong and healthy, strengthen your immune system, and boost your metabolism.
- Filled with 7 different types of minerals (Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, and Zinc)- minerals can help build strong bones, keep your electrolytes balanced, and strengthen your immune system.
- Fiber rich- another great source of soluble fiber to help with digestion. An apple can help stop diarrhea and help your body absorb more nutrients.
Creative Creations
Apples are very versatile. They go great in sweet dishes, savory dishes, baked goods, stir fry, and more! Ask mom and dad to pick up some apples from the store and make some creative creations!
- Apple chips- dehydrate apple slices in the oven or a dehydrator!
- Smoothies
- Homemade apple sauce
- Breads
- Cookies
- Cakes
- Burger topping
- Chicken, apple, onion, bell pepper kabobs
- salads
- food art
- baked apple dessert- cut apples in half and add a little bit of brown sugar and pecans and then bake until cooked through
- chicken stir fry
- fruit salads
- sliced to dip
Varieties to Try
There are about 2,500 varieties of apples grown in the United States alone. Of those 2,500, about 100 varieties are grown commercially and sold. How many varieties have you tried?
Here are some varieties you can try to look for at different markets and grocery stores:
- Red Delicious
- McIntosh
- Golden Delicious
- Gala
- Granny Smith
- Fuji
- Braeburn
- Pink Lady
- Honeycrisp (my personal favorite)
- Empire
Recipes
EXTRA EXTRA!
Ready for this week’s family mealtime meme? Caption this meme!
