It’s time to Pick Strawberries!

May is National Strawberry Month and every May 20th, National Pick Strawberries Day encourages us to pick some strawberries. Right about this time of year, they start coming into season. And there is just something special about the taste of a sun-warmed strawberry picked straight off of the vine.

Strawberry picking time is usually between late April and throughout the summer, depending on what part of the United States you live. When harvesting strawberries, you want to look for the bright red, firm, and plump ones.

Moreover, strawberries offer amazing nutritional value. These red berries are full of antioxidants, vitamin C, folic acid, fiber, etc. They also help fight bad cholesterol and reduce inflammation, are low-fat and low in calories. Now that’s beauty on the inside and out!

Strawberries are best fresh, but they also make delicious desserts, like strawberry shortcakes, fresh jams, and strawberries and cream. Yum!  Speaking of Strawberries and Cream, National Strawberries and Cream DAY is tomorrow, May 21st!

Did you know…?

• Strawberries are members of the rose family
• They are the only fruit with their seeds on the outside
• The first strawberries were grown in France in the late 18th century. Prior to the 18th century, wild strawberries were collected and commonly used as a fruit source.

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Photo Credit: Michal Urbanek / Shutterstock.com