All about cantaloupes

Why cantaloupes are good for kids:

Cantaloupes are 90% water so they are a perfect sweet but refreshing snack to serve to your kids. With just one cup of cantaloupe, your children will get all of their daily needs of Vitamins A and C.

 When and where to find cantaloupes:

June to August is the best time to buy cantaloupes. Cantaloupes grown in hot and dry climates so, not surprisingly, California is a main producer in the United States. Most markets and grocery stores carry cantaloupes in the summer.

 How to choose the best cantaloupes:

Let the smell guide you. Pick up a beige looking cantaloupe (avoid ones that look too green) and hold it to your nose. You should get a sweet, slightly musky fragrance from a ripe cantaloupe. If your cantaloupe is not quite ripe yet, just let it sit at room temperature for a couple of days.

 Serving tip:

In France, it’s very common to serve cantaloupe with a thin slice of prosciutto for appetizer at a summer table.

Cantaloupe is also a great fruit to end the meal. Just cut slices of cantaloupe and eat the fruit as you would eat corn on the cob or run a knife just above the rind, diving the flesh into chunks for less messy results.

Just like watermelon, cantaloupe can serve as a bowl for a fruit salad. Carve the flesh and use a small ice cream scoop to form little balls. Add berries and you get a vibrant fruit salad.