Episode 131 - Best Fruit to Buy in June

In this episode learn what fruit you should be looking out for in the grocery store during the month of June as we enter into the height of fresh cherry season and so much more!

🎧 Listen

You can listen to this podcast episode below or listen on any of these podcast players - Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts. If you would prefer to read the text, you will find a transcript below.

📜 Read

We have a lot to talk about in this month's fruit picks episode. We are entering into one of the most exciting times of the year where there will be many different fruits to try.

Before we get started, if you are loving these fruit pick episodes, please let us know by contacting us at [email protected] or heading over to your favorite podcast player and leaving us a 5 star review. This helps support this podcast and I am grateful for your help. Alright let's get to the episode.

Fresh cherries from Washington make their debut this month. Near the end of the month we will see the best prices of the year on cherries. Our family loves the Rainier cherries for their sweet flavor and the fact that they don't stain your clothing. June is when I will buy my first bag or two of the season. Next month be on the lookout for some really special cherry varieties that we will talking about. Spoiler - they are the BEST cherries ever!

There are a couple varieties of apricots I want you to look out for in stores this month. Family Tree Farms grows these amazing red apricots. They are sweet and juicy and come in a little cardboard tote. I kept buying these up at Hy-Vee stores and the Fresh Market last June.

Also near the end of the month look for Angelcot Apricots from Frieda's. They come in a plastic clamshell container. They are light in color, almost white. These apricos are also sweet and better tasting the other types of apricots in the stores right now.

Have you ever had a Pluot or Plumcot before? This fruit is created by crossing plums and apricots together. They generally are more plum-like than apricot. They have amazing flavor and I buy them over plums all the time. There are many different varieties available at different times of the year. In June look for Eagle Egg, Golden Treat, and Plumogranate. The peak of the season will be July and especially August. 

White nectarines are fantastic this month. I like buying them in boxes from Trader Joe's or Costco. Why? Because they actually list the exact variety on the box itself. If you look on the side of the box you can find some writing that may have some things you don't understand, but often they will list the variety name. Honey Pearl is one that my family goes absolutely crazy for. I found them last year at Costco and couldn't keep them very long in my house. Very sweet and flavorful. Learn to read those boxes and make note of what you like. 

Last year, June was great for berries for me. I got to try out Discoll's Rose Raspberries and Tropical Bliss strawberries. Both of these berries surpassed my expectations for what a grocery store berry should taste like. Rosé Raspberries have a unique flavor that has a floral quality to it with hints of peach. It's balanced with sweetness and tartness. Tropical Bliss strawberries have a sweet, then a tart flavor that resembles a pineapple. Also look out for Driscoll's Sweetest Batch berries available in strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries.

For those in the Midwest this is time of year to get out to a u-pick farm and get yourself some local strawberries. We will publish an episode shortly on tips on going to these u-pick patches.

🛒 Before You Checkout

What you need to know before you checkout at the grocery store or market:

Temperatures are getting hotter this month as we head into summer. Do the best you can to get your fruit purchases out of your hot car. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have an insulated bag with some ice packs in it in case you need to make a few stops before you get home. 

You also want to remove peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, and pluots from plastic bags when you get home. Give the fruit some room to breathe while they ripen. Plastic will hold onto moisture and could cause the fruit to mold.