Pears: Fruit / Vegetable of the Month

Pears are a versatile and affordable fruit; an excellent source of fiber, a good source of vitamin C and one medium pear contains only 100 calories.

There are many types of pears, but the three most common sold in the US are the d'Anjou, Bartlett and Bosc.

D'anjou pears are sold more than any other pear in the US. You can tell a D'anjou from a Barlett by it's shape. It has a rounder shape and stays green even when it is ripe. It has a clean, almost citrus like taste. D'anjou pears can have green or red flesh, but taste the same regardless of their skin color.

Bartlett pears have what many would consider that "traditional" pear taste. Bartlett pears have a top that tapers and the skin of Bartlett pears lighten to yellow as they ripen. Bartlett pears can also have red skin.

Bosc pears have a sweet, spicy flavor with a warm colored brown skin and a beautiful tapered neck. Bosc pears have a thick tough skin. You can eat the skin and flesh without cooking them but peeling them and cooking them is the best way to prepare a Bosc, especially since they retain their shape after cooking.

To tell if a pear is ripe, check the flesh near the stem. If that is soft the pear is ready to eat. Pears ripen from the inside out, so if you wait for the outside to feel soft, the pear will be quite mushy.

Pears are versatile:
Bake pears as you would apples
Cut pears in thin slices in cook into a grilled cheese sandwich.
Cut in thin slices an put in a nut butter sandwich in place of jam or jelly.
Blend a pear into a smoothie. (this works well with overripe pears.)
Cut in cubes and add to hot cereal.
Cut into thin slices resembling french fries and dip in yogurt.
Serve sliced pears with cheese and crackers.

If you are a child care provider in California you can receive cash reimbursements for providing healthy food to the children in your care. If you are a child care provider in El Dorado, Alpine, Placer, Nevada or Mono county our agency can help you enroll in the California Child Care Food Program (CCFP).

Recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables varies with age.

Children ages 2-3 need   1- 1.5 cups of fruits and 1- 1.5 cups of vegetables each day.

Children ages 4-8 need   1-2     cups of fruits and 1.5-2.5 cups of vegetables each day. 

Children ages 9-13 need 1.5-2  cups of fruits and 1.5-3.5 cups of vegetables each day.

Teens ages14-18 need   1.5 -2.5 cups of fruits and 2.5-4 cups of vegetables each day.

Keep in mind that fruits and vegetables are rich in essential vitamins and minerals needed for optimum growth and development. Check out  CDC's fruit and vegetable calculator for an more accurate recommendation based upon age, sex, and activity levels.

Remember your plate.......