June Fruit of the Month: Cantaloupe

The June of the Month is Cantaloupe!

Juicy and sweet without overwhelming the taste buds, the cantaloupe is the perfect fruit for hot weather. Unlike pineapples and mangos, cantaloupes aren’t acidic, so they’re a gentle (but still tasty) partner to zingier summer fruit favorites.

A Cantaloupe is a Good Source of:

• Vitamin A—great for your eyes, skin, and hair
• Vitamin C—great for liver and digestive health
• Fiber—great for liver and digestive health
• Potassium—helps body tissues and cell function
• Vitamin K—aiding bone and brain health

Did You Know?

• Cantaloupes grow on a vine.
• Cantaloupes are named after Cantalupo, Italy, where they were first cultivated in Europe.
• It can help reduce inflammation throughout the body.

How to Choose and Store Cantaloupe

Cantaloupes can only ripen on the stem, so make sure you’re choosing the right one at the grocery store or farmer’s market. Ripe cantaloupes are a shade of yellow, gold, or beige. The cantaloupe should have a smooth, rounded stem scar and the blossom end (opposite of the stem scar) should yield slightly to pressure.

You can store whole melons on the counter for up to two days. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Do not rinse before storage, but scrub with a vegetable brush before cutting.

Tips to Get Children to Eat Cantaloupe

• Try it with salt to add a flavor twist!
• Using a melon baller scoop, freeze cantaloupe balls in the freezer for a treat.
• Blend cantaloupe in a smoothie!

Ways to Prepare Cantaloupe

• Raw
• Freeze
• Roast

Let's Get Cooking

Cantaloupe Cooler

Ingredients

• 1 ripe cantaloupe
• 2 ½ cups orange juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Crushed ice

Directions

1. Cut melon in half
2. Scoop out seeds and remove rind
3. Cut melon in 1-inch cubes
4. Use a blender or food processor to blend the melon cubes with ½ cup orange juice until smooth
5. Pour mixture into pitcher and stir in the remaining orange juice and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
6. Pour into glasses filled with crushed ice.

For more creative cantaloupe-based recipes visit MyPlate Kitchen! With so many possibilities, like Chicken and Rice Fruit Salad, Cantaloupe Cherry Salad, and Grilled Shrimp with Cantaloupe Avocado Salsa you're sure to find something that is tasty for the whole family!

Fact Check: SDSU Extension, MyPlate Kitchen, Dr. Axe