Seasonal Foods of Neopia: Fruit

Summer

As you might have guessed, summer is the best season for all sorts of fruits. Summer is the season for many types of berries, including raspberries, cherries, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries. A number of other delicious fruits are in season in summer: apricots, cantaloupe, figs, grapes, limes, peaches, pineapples, and watermelon. Is your favorite fruit somewhere in that list? Now is the time eat it often and really enjoy it.

Recommended dishes: While the fruits listed above are all delicious when eaten alone, it can still be fun to experiment by including them in various dishes. Go wild and try something like Strawberry Salmon, and surprising combination that you will love once you try it. When fruits are in season, it is the perfect time to showcase their flavor in a simple dish. Cheese and Grapes is a great example of a simple and incredibly flavorful dish. For an extra sweet treat, try Figs with Honey Sauce, and Altadorian classic. If you're thirsty, there's really nothing nicer in summer than sitting outside with a Peach Iced Tea.

Fall

In fall, hearty fruits are in season. Fall is the best time to buy cranberries, grapes, pears, pomegranate, and quince. As the weather starts to cool, fall the perfect season for baked goods that include fruit. Ramp up the flavor by baking with fruits that are in season.

Recommended dishes: Baked Quince is the best fall dessert! It's not very healthy with all that caramel and cream on it, but it's definitely delicious. Another great sweet treat is Pomegranate Bread. It is a fresh pastry covered in pomegranate icing and fresh pomegranate seeds. If you want something healthier, go with Almond Cranberry Trail Mix from Neopian Health Foods. A handful will fill you up.

Winter

You might that winter is a bad time for buying fruits that are in season, but quite a few fruits call winter their season. Winter is the right time to buy dates, grapefruit, kiwi, oranges, pears, pomegranate, and tangerines. Some of the best fruits are in season in winter!

Recommended dishes: A Kiwi and Cucumber Sandwich is a great way to work kiwi into your winter diet. A tangy cup of Tangerine Tea goes wonderfully with the sandwich. For dessert, try some Coconut Dates, a recipe that originated in Altador.

Spring

A small selection of fruits are in season during spring. Luckily, it is a very tasty selection! Spring is a great time to purchase apricots, grapefruit, honeydew, limes, mango, oranges, pineapples, and strawberries.

Recommended dishes: Seafood and fruit go surprisingly well together. In spring, give the Mango Crab Salad a try. It's very tasty and healthy too. If you want to experiment, try a Burger Stuffed Orange. It looks crazy, but it's actually pretty tasty!

Year Round

There is a core group of fruits that are good year round. The small group includes apples, avocados, bananas, lemons, and papayas. When you're sick of eating fruits, reach for an avocado. They are a great, healthy replacement for mayo on your sandwiches.

Recommended dishes: A Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich is an excellent lunch. To make it extra special, drizzle some honey in the middle. For a hearty breakfast, top your pancakes with fresh apple slices to make Apple Fruit Pancakes. Hot Papaya Tea with a slice of fresh papaya on the side makes for a great snack all year round.

Mystery Island

If none of the regular fruits that are in season all year round appeal to you, you can always take a trip over to Mystery Island. There are tons of fruits that are native to Mystery Island and in season year round because of the consistent warm climate there. The Tropical Food Shop on Mystery Island sells both individual fruits and special dishes containing fruits that are native to Mystery Island. If you are a fruit lover, Mystery Island is a great place to visit. Some of the most delicious fruits on Mystery Island include the Flarble, Lemwart, Owabit, and Tigerbuggles. There are many more native fruits there, though, so book a long holiday and go taste some!

Recommended dishes: Tetraberry Tea has been the latest drink craze in Neopia. It's super yummy and it glows in the dark. You must give it a try when you visit Mystery Island. Islandberry Ice Cream is another treat you cannot miss out on. The Islandberry cannot be found anywhere outside of Mystery Island, so don't pass it up. If you prefer, you can have an Islandberry Fruit Kebab or Islandberry Tea. For breakfast on the island, start with a Zeenana Crepe and Azzle Coffee. You won't be disappointed with the food on Mystery Island!

It is pretty easy to get your recommended daily servings of fruit. Fruits are delicious and taste wonderful when eaten alone. That doesn't mean fruits always have to be eaten alone! Many scrumptious dishes, including the ones listed above, include fruit in the recipe. Take pies and cakes, for example. A pastry made with fruits that are fresh and in season will taste infinitely better than a pastry made with frozen fruits. You probably won't even recognize that the same fruits are being used! Purchase some fruits that are in season right now and give it a try.

Another great way to eat fruit is in some type of parfait. Plain yogurt is a healthy food that happens to complement fruit excellently. Try adding granola to make a Granola Parfait. A drizzle of honey on top will finish your creation. If you prefer, you can keep it simple and have basic Berry Topped Frozen Yogurt.

As you can see, there is more than one way to eat a fruit! Try adding a mixture of plain fruits and fruit-containing dishes to your diet. To get the extra bang for your neopoints, make sure you are buying fruits that are in season. Cut this guide out of the Neopian Times and take it with you next time you go shopping for fruit. With some careful purchasing, you'll be amazed at the flavor of the fruits you take home. It is always smart to buy fruits and vegetables that are in season.