The Boston weather is warming up, Spring Break is over, and there are only two months of school left—spring is arriving! This means sundresses, flip-flops…and fresh fruit and veggies. Around this time of year, Harvard students get tired of the same old bananas, apples, and oranges from the dining halls. We’re ready for fresh, juicy summer fruits and veggies. Not only are these delicious and refreshing, but they are also packed full of nutrients. Sometimes it’s hard to know what fruits and veggies are good to buy now. Here are some that are in season and should be able to take care of your craving for summer:

Strawberries: These scream spring. Nothing is better than biting into a giant red strawberry on a sunny, warm day. They are one of the earliest fruits of spring, and are especially popular around Easter. When buying them, they often come in a one-pound container, and can be found on sale for about three dollars, four when regularly priced. When picking them out, make sure you look at the bottom of the container—if there are strawberries that look moldy or overripe (too dark), don’t get them. All the berries should look red, not orange or green. As soon as you buy them, wash them, take off the green stems, and put them in a closed container in the refrigerator. They will last a lot longer this way than if you don’t wash them and keep them in the container they came in. In addition to being delicious, strawberries are packed full of health benefits. They have antioxidants and tons of vitamins, especially vitamin C.

Watermelons: Watermelons are more of a summer fruit, but we all want them in the spring. Be careful if you buy them, though, because they probably aren’t going to be good this early in the year as they will be later this summer. When picking them out, thump them, and if they have a hollow sound, they are ripe. Prices vary, but a good price for a large one is five dollars. Like strawberries, watermelons are extremely good for you. They have many vitamins, especially vitamin A and C, as well as plenty antioxidants.

Cantaloupes: Like watermelons, these start appearing in the spring, but they get better as the summer progresses. Ripe ones don’t have a green tint, and the end where the stem was cut off should smell good. If you buy one that isn’t ripe, leave it sitting out for a couple of days until it appears less green. Starting in about April, the price of cantaloupes is inexpensive—you should be able to find big melons for about $1.50. Cantaloupe is full of vitamins A and C, adding to its appeal.

Asparagus: Starting around Easter, asparagus becomes very popular. When buying it, bend the stalk and see if it is flexible. If it is, then it will be tender. Asparagus is more expensive than the other fruits and veggies of this season, but it makes up for it by being very good for you. It’s good for your heart, lowers cholesterol, is energizing (perfect for upcoming reading period and finals), lowers blood pressure, and contains many nutrients like Vitamin E and folic acid.

Lettuce and Spinach: These may sound boring, especially after having them almost everyday in the d-halls, but buying them fresh makes them so much better. Dark-leafed lettuce, like romaine, is very healthy for you. Light-leafed types, like iceberg lettuce, don’t have much nutritional value. Dark-leaf lettuces contain a lot of vitamins K, A, and C. Spinach contains vitamins K and A, iron, and folate, along with numerous other nutrients. When you buy them, you can get them in heads or prepackaged containers. Either way, make sure the leaves are darker, but not brown or wilted.

When looking for these yummy (and healthy) foods, try Whole Foods, Shaw’s, or Trader Joe’s, all fairly close to campus. Now start getting ready for summer by indulging in these mouth-watering fruits and veggies!

Sources: http://www.worldshealthiestfoods.com
http://chetday.com/benefitofstrawberry.htm

http://www.everynutrient.com/