7 Unusual Fruits to Try …

7 Unusual Fruits to Try …

One of the things I like best about summer is the abundance of fresh fruits that happen to be in season, at their ripest, juiciest, sweetest best! But already I’m bored with peaches and plums… I want to try something new! If you’re with me, keep reading! I’ve done a little chatting with my local grocer, and he’s recommended 7 unusual fruits to try that you can find at almost any supermarket… and here they are!

1. Kiwi

While many of us have tried a kiwi fruit already, for those of you who haven’t, what are you waiting for? Peel or cut away the fuzzy brown peel and slice the green insides into little ovals. Feel free to eat the seeds and the whitish inner core… they’re delicious, sweet with a tart tanginess.

2. Starfruit

Starfruit, or carambola, gets its nickname because when you slice it, it actually has a star shape. They’re gorgeous for use in fruit salads, but even better, they’re delicious! They’re very juicy, with a sweet flavor and a crunchy texture. They’re also rich in vitamin C!

3. Asian Pear

4. Kumquat

Where I grew up in California, we had a kumquat tree. The fruits are small and sweet, with a slightly fuzzy texture on their skin, like a peach, but they’re actually closer in relation to an orange. They’re very sweet, and rich, so their size is perfect! Anything bigger and you might not be able to finish it!

5. Lychee

I haven’t tried one of these yet, but I really want to! They’re mostly cultivated in China, and are supposed to be very sweet and rich, with a whitish pulpy inside. They have even been featured in an episode of “Ni Hao Ki-Lan,” on Nick Jr. I really want to try one of these!

6. Pomegranate

I know pomegranates aren’t in season until the fall, but I had to include them because (a) they’re my very favorite unusual fruit and (b) they’re going to be available at most grocery stores, so you can keep an eye out for them! They’re a lot of work, but they’re delicious… and I’ve just discovered that some stores (like Costco) sell the seeds in packages… yay!

7. Guava

I first tried guava at a friend’s house. His mother is Hawaiian and she made it with soy sauce, salt, and pepper, which I thought was odd for a fruit… but it was delicious! I see it now as a tropical fruit, added to smoothies and made in fruit salads. I want to try it again!

I’m already a fan of the pomegranate, and I can’t wait to try the lychee! Which of these unusual fruits have you tried, and what did you think? Or is your favorite out-there fruit not on my list? Please share! I’d love to try something new!

Be careful when purchasing and storing these delicious fruits — they bruise very easily! But they’re so tasty, don’t let that scare you off! They’re also very, very juicy, with a high water content and a slightly grainy texture, much like a standard pear. They’re very crisp and sweet, and so good when they’re cold!

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7 Grocery Shopping Mistakes …

7 Grocery Shopping Mistakes …

Grocery shopping is something we all have experience with, and yet, for some reason, we always seem to make the same mistakes. I still make them, I’ll confess. So, this article is just as much to me as to anyone else. Here are 7 shopping mistakes I’m sure a lot of us make, and what we can do to fix them!

1. Over-buying

Let it be said, never go to the store hungry, it only makes this mistake worse. We see this huge bag of grapes, that bunch of bananas, a huge bag of apples, not to mention the oranges and the kiwi….and before you know it, our buggy is full. The sad thing is, at least half of that fruit is going to go to waste because we can’t eat it all before it starts going bad. The best rule of thumb, when buying perishable items, is to buy in small quantities and go to the store more frequently. While your Walmart or Kroger may be too much of a drive to do 2 or 3 times a week, most all of us have a little small town grocery not far from us. Do your main shopping at Walmart and then pick up as needed at your local grocer. By doing this, not only are you keeping your money from going to waste, you’re also helping a small town business out as well.

2. Forgetting About Coupons

They may be a bit of trouble to have to clip out of the paper, but let me tell you, they can save you so much money, you would faint if you knew! I have friends that go to the store with coupons and get over $100 worth of groceries for about $20 or $30. No kidding! There was even one time that the store actually owed them a few cents, and they ended up paying nothing! It’s all in understanding about coupons and how to use them. Once I’ve learned all their tricks, I’ll try to do an article about them to share with you if you’d like.

3. Buying Junk

This is a mistake that the average American makes on a regular basis. We are addicted to junk food, and this addiction is just about as bad as any drug addiction out there, as it is just as harmful to our bodies. I know that we all like an occasional snack cake or Dr. Pepper, just try to make sure your fruits and veggies and other good food outweighs your junk food. It’s a good idea to only buy one junk food item a week, and treat them as special rewards rather than everyday foods. Your kids might not like you right now, but when they’re older and more healthy, they’ll be glad you cared enough about them to limit their junk food.

4. Shopping Without a List

Make a list at home, check it twice and stick to it. Don’t let yourself stray, even for that bag of donuts.

5. Taking Too Long

It’s easy to get caught up in everything at Walmart and quickly lose track of time. However, the longer you stay in a play flowing with food, the more apt you are to get way too much. Limit your time. If you have older kids or a husband that likes to have fun, split the grocery list and have a race to see who can have all the stuff on the list in the buggy and up to the register first. By doing this, you don’t have time to stare at the candy and cake aisle and talk yourself into buying something you know you don’t need. Get the basics and get out!

6. Ignoring Nutrition

It’s ok to be one of those shoppers that takes their time to look at the labels of the stuff they’re wanting to buy. We need to know that we’re eating. We need to be aware of our calorie intake as well as fat intake. Pay attention to what you’re eating and make wise decisions on what’s best to feed your family. Try to find stuff high in fiber and low in fat. Don’t get something just “because it looks good” but rather because it is good.

7. Going Close To Bedtime

I’ll admit, I love to shop at Walmart later at night. I don’t have to deal with lots of people and I enjoy it better. However, if you have younger children with you, it’s never a good idea to choose this time to shop. All you get is a headache and lots of people ready to see you leave. There have been so many times I’ve been at the store and had to follow a mother with her young child and listen as that baby cried, wanting it’s bottle and bed, and yet Mommy had so much shopping to get done, that baby didn’t matter right then. Choose to do your shopping in the daytime when baby is in a good mood, and isn’t hungry or tired. You’ll leave in a much better mood as will your baby. Trust me, it will be a much better experience!

Grocery shopping is something we all mess up on, but heeding these 7 grocery shopping mistake warnings, perhaps you’ll have a better experience in the future. Do you have any other ideas to add to this article? If so, please share!

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