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Peaches: Delicious & Nutritious

Peaches are a great choice in August. This is when they are in season, so they are ready to pick, taste great, and priced well.

What are some of the health benefits of peaches?

• Peaches help with hydration.

Peaches are 85% water. Water not only helps keep your body and cells hydrated, but the high-water content makes your body feel full longer.

• Peaches are full of nutrients.

They are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that help support digestion, heart health, immunity, skin, and overall well-being.

Select peaches that are:

• Slightly soft to the touch but not mushy or overly soft and have no blemishes, bruises or green stems.
• Fully colored with a deep golden color behind their reddish blush and have no green areas.
• They should have a sweet, fruity smell to them.

How to Store:

• Store at room temperature until ripe – refrigerating peaches before they are ripe can lead to loss of flavor, texture, and appearance. To slow ripening, place peaches in a paper bag at room temperature and check daily. Once ripe, place peaches in a plastic bag and refrigerate.

Fun peach facts:

• 70% of U.S. peaches are grown in California. In 2024 California produced 529,000 tons of them.
• There are over 2,000 varieties of peaches.
• The fine hairs on peaches protect against pests and insects, and help retain moisture to help keep them nice and juicy.

Tasty Ways to Enjoy Peaches

• Fresh:

Simply bite into a ripe, juicy peach!

• Fruit Salad: Chop peaches and mix them with other fruits like strawberries, blueberries, and kiwi for a refreshing fruit salad.
• Grilled Peaches: Grill peach halves until they caramelize slightly. Serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of honey.
• Peach Smoothie: Blend fresh or frozen peaches with yogurt, a banana, and a splash of orange juice for a creamy and nutritious smoothie.
• Peach Salsa: Combine diced peaches with red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and a bit of jalapeño for a sweet and tangy salsa perfect for chips or as a topping for grilled chicken or fish.
• Peach Cobbler or Crisp: Bake sliced peaches with a crumbly topping made of oats, flour, sugar, and butter for a comforting dessert.
• Peach Iced Tea: Brew a pot of your favorite tea and add sliced peaches for a refreshing and fruity twist.
• Peaches in Savory Dishes: Use sliced peaches in savory recipes like grilled peach and goat cheese salad, peach-glazed chicken, or as a topping for pork chops.
• Peach Fruit Leather: Blend peaches into a puree, spread it on a baking sheet and slow cook it at a low temperature to create your own peach fruit leather.

For more information from Eat Smart Idaho contact: Shelly Johnson, MS, ESI Administrator—Email: sjohnson@uidaho.edu Kali Gardiner, RD, LD, ESI Coordinator—Email: kalig@uidaho.edu Phone: 208-292-2525 Website: www.eatsmartidaho.org

Sources: https://extension.usu.edu/createbetterhealth/blog/peachesfacts; https://idahopreferred.com/products/ peaches/; https://fruitandgarden.com/which-state-grows-the-most-peaches/ retrieved 07/27/26

This work and material is supported and funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-SNAP and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. USDA and University of Idaho are equal opportunity providers.