The versatile raspberry can be used as an ingredient in a variety of recipes: sweet, savory, spicy, and tart. And it’s not without the hard work of our farmers that nurture and tend to our beloved berry on a daily basis that allows us to enjoy them year-round. Growing raspberries is a 12-month operation filled with its own unique challenges; our raspberry farmers embrace the unique challenges Mother Nature brings their way to harvest peek-of-ripe fruit, freeze it within hours to lock-in flavor and nutrients, and deliver a safe, high quality food. This Earth Day, let’s give our farmers and Mother Nature a round of applause.
How can we show our thanks?
- Eat your fruits and veggies. According to the Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Committee, diets that emphasize plant-based foods, such as fruits, are associated with less environmental impact and linked with more health promoting properties. 1
- Waste less. Freezing helps to extend shelf life and reduce spoilage. Freezing raspberries is a gentle preserving process, which requires only cold air and water that maintains the integrity, flavor, and nutritional benefits of fresh raspberries. The beauty of a bag of frozen raspberries is that you only need to use as much as you need when you need it…the remaining frozen raspberries can stay frozen in your freezer for a later use!
- Enjoy red raspberries. Our farmers exert a lot of energy to produce top-notch raspberries. While it’s essential to consider sustainability, part of the fun of raspberries is to eat them! Our website hosts several plant-based recipes featuring the delicious flavors of raspberries. Below are some of our recent favorites, which so happen to be perfect for springtime festivities. (or to put in your picnic basket, perhaps?)
This Earth Day try our: Raspberry Coconut Smoothie Bowl, Razzy Ranch, or Raspberry Gazpacho as shown above.
- Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, Advisory Report to the Secretory of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Agriculture, page 6. https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015-scientific-report/pdfs/scientific-report-of-the-2015-dietary-guidelines-advisory-committee.pdf
