​I'm the ultimate summer fruit. Besides my bright color, I have a delightful fragrance (smell). I am native to North America. Today I’m grown in every single U.S. state and Canadian province. 

I am the only fruit that has seeds on the outside. I have over 200 seeds on my fruit. Interestingly, if you get me from a grocery store, I wasn’t grown from a single seed.

I grow on the ground, and my plant is a perennial, which means if you plant one, it will come back every year. Once my plant grows fruit, it will continue to do so for about five years. 

My flower needs bees to pollinate it for my fruit to grow. Farmers often have bee hives to ensure the flowers are pollinated. 

My fruit ripens at different times on a single plant. Because of this and my delicate flesh, farmers hand pick the fruit when I’m perfectly ripe. 

After I’m picked, I should be used right away. I can be eaten fresh or made into jam, frozen for smoothies, or made into baked goods like cake and muffins. 

Español: fresa

​Did you guess Strawberry? Strawberry can be eaten fresh or made into a lot of foods!

Watch the video to learn more.

​​Feed your food curiosity! Snackster Sam provides fun and educational content about food that grows. Join the adventure. Download the Snackster Sam app from Google Play or the App Store.

Happy summer!

One of my favorite things about summer is the fresh berries and fruit in season. There's nothing like biting into a juicy summer peach or a ripe strawberry (and they are even sweeter when they are wild)! When I think back on my summers as a kid, peaches come to mind. I couldn't wait to go to the the farmer's market or grocery store with my mom and find the juiciest peaches. This is an experience I want to share with my children, too. Well... and let's be honest, I'm still a kid at heart, too! Peaches for the whole family!

It's not always easy to get ripe or juicy peaches in the midwest. That's why we've created a summer snack that is delicious, easy, and fun! This is the perfect recipe to use a bruised, over or underripe peach. We added strawberries for a yummy twist, but you can use a variety of fruits based on what's in season and available.

If you have kids and don't have a popsicle mold, you're missing out! You can usually get molds for about the same price as store-bought popsicles made with fruit. If you don't have popsicle molds, you can use wooden popsicle sticks and paper cups. Making your own popsicles allows you to cut out added sugar, use bruised and overripe fruit, and of course, make memories!

Pair this summer treat with sunshine and shorts!