Today is a pretty delicious food holiday, and since we can dip anything in chocolate today, lets dip a fruit that is in season in the winter. Clementines (aka tiny oranges) are sweet, tasty, and easy for tiny hands to peel. Dipping them in chocolate only makes them tastier.
For being so tiny, this little orange packs a lot of goodness. Besides their sweet flavor, they also have good amounts of vitamin C, folate, and potassium.
- Vitamin C is important in immune responses, preventing infection, wound healing, and allergic reactions. It also increases the absorption of iron in the body and aids in the making of collagen, a protein that makes up connective tissue in cartilage, bone, skin, and tendons.
- Folate is essential in your body for helping to make DNA and is especially important in fetal development.
- Potassium is important in keeping your muscles working, especially the heart. It also can help prevent high blood pressure.
Clementines are in season November through January which makes now the perfect time to enjoy them. When shopping for clementines, make sure that they are soft, have a shiny peel, and are the same color all over, without spots. Avoid clementines that are hard, dull, contain blemishes, or that have mold on the surface. Fresh clementines will last in your refrigerator for about two weeks.
Dipping clementines is just like dipping anything else in chocolate… it can make a mess, but careful handling can keep your kitchen space clean. You’ll need a grown-up to help with the melting part, but the dipping and sprinkling is fun for anyone to do!
Have more clementines than you have chocolate? Check out this list from fruitandveggies.org for ten more ways to enjoy clementines!
