Fruit + veggies 101

With soft yellow skin blushed red, peaches aren't only delicious--they're beautiful enough to dress up any bowl of fruit. Use these tips to help make your summer snacking, well, just peachy.

When buying peaches, look for ripe bruise-free skins with a creamy background colour. The flesh of the fruit should yield to gentle pressure.

Soft, ripe peaches need to be eaten within a couple of days. Firmer, unripe fruit can be left in the refrigerator unwashed for up to one week. For ripening, try placing in a paper bag and storing at room temperature for a few days.

Few fruits can rival the taste of ripe peaches eaten on their own or with ice cream. They're also a must in summer fruit salads, adding colour and sweetness. To avoid eating the fuzzy skin, make a small nick in the fruit, place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 15 to 30 seconds and then dunk in cold water. The skin will peel off easily.

Don't be afraid to experiment with peaches. They add delicious flavour to summer smoothies and cocktails. They are also good cooked with ham and duck or sliced and used as a topping for green salads. To savour the flavour year-round, try using peaches in jams and jellies.

1 peach raw: 37 calories, 4 mg calcium, 6 mg vitamin C, 10 g carbohydrates, 1.7 g dietary fibre, 171 mg potassium

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