Peaches are the August Harvest of the Month

This month’s Harvest is a sweet fruit with uniquely fuzzy skin. Peaches are a stone fruit, meaning they have a hard pit in the center. The outer textured skin of a peach is edible based on personal preference.

During the month of August, you may find peaches used more abundantly in a variety of recipes from our cafeterias.

Did You Know?

• Peaches are the third most popular fruit grown in America.
• In Georgia, the world’s largest peach cobbler measuring 11 ft by 5 ft is made every year.
• National Peach Month is August.

Try These Delicious Recipes

Grilled Peaches with Fresh Mango Sauce
Peach Frozen Yogurt
Peach Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups

How to Buy, Store & Prepare: Peaches are sold in several varieties. They can be found fresh, frozen and canned. Fresh peaches are in season during the summer and will be juicier, softer and sweeter during this time. When buying canned peaches, aim for those that are canned in their own juice rather than heavy or light syrup. These peaches will be lower in calories, have less sugar and be closer to the nutritional value of a fresh peach.

Making it Kid-Friendly: Kids are more likely to accept fruits than vegetables, making peaches a great food to introduce to toddlers. Consider serving peaches alongside a fruit your child is already familiar with. Prepackaged or canned peaches stored in their own juice can be a travel-friendly snack when you and your child are on the go.

Nutrition and Health Benefits: Like many fruits, peaches are high in vitamin C, an antioxidant that prevents damage by free radicals and can thereby reduce the risk of many cancers. Vitamin C is also essential for collagen synthesis in our bodies. Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies and is a key connective tissue. It is often associated with healthy youthful skin. While collagen supplementation is currently trendy, there is not good evidence to show that eating or drinking collagen supplements would increase the collagen in our bodies as it is broken down into amino acids in our digestive system along with all other proteins. Instead, eat an adequate amount of protein along with produce high in vitamin C, like peaches. Peaches also have beta-carotene which helps promote healthy eyesight.

Calories: 59	Protein: 1g
Total Fat: 0g	Potassium: 285mg
Total Carbohydrate: 15g	Vitamin C: 10mg
Phosphorus: 30mg	Magnesium: 14mg