FRESH PRODUCE

Tips in Buying Fresh Produce

#1 Select Fruits and Vegetables that are:

› FIRM› FREE FROM DECAY› FREE FROM BRUISING › HAVE GOOD COLOR

#2

BUY SEASONAL FRUITS› Cheapter› Plentiful › Better Quality

#3

Buy only what you will be able to store and use.› F/V last about 1 week in the refrigerator› Fruits ripen and spoil faster at room

temperature

#4

To prevent OXIDATION › Cut right before serving› Dip in ascorbic acid like………

CLASSIFYING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

ROOTS

Carrots Radishes Beets

STEMS

Celery Mushroom Asparagus

TUBERS

Potatoes Sweet Potatoes YAMS

LEAVES

Lettuce Romaine Spinach

BULB

ONION Garlic

Flowers

Broccoli Cauliflowers

SEEDS

PEAS BEANS CORN

FRUITS

Tomato Cucumber Squash Peppers Egg Plant

POMES

Has a core and seeds

BERRIES

Made up of mostly water very fragile

CITRUS FRUITS

High in VIT C

DRUPES

HAS ONE PIT

Tropical Fruit

Grown in a Tropical Place

Melon

Cannot Preserve (Cannot by it canned or frozen)

GRAPES

Preparing Fruits and Vegetables

TEXTURE

Heat softens the cells walls, making fruit and vegetables more tender.

If over cooked, fruits and vegetables become mushy.

FLAVOR

Which do you prefer cooked or raw

COLOR

When heat is added to vegetables they become darker.

NUTRIENT LOSS

Ways to prevent nutrient loss

A. Cook for the shortest time possible

B.

Use as little water as possible

C.

Prepare the largest pieces possible

D.Cut just before cooking

E. Wash Fresh fruits and vegetables to remove dirt microorganisms and pesticides