Pluots & Apriums: Fruit / Vegetable of the Month

Pluots are a hybrid of a plum and apricot, with more characteristics of a plum. Generally speaking they are roughly 2/3 to 3/4 plum and 1/3-1/4 apricot. They have the smooth skin of a plum but are sweeter than plums. Pluots aren't genetically modified. The pluot is the result of cross-breeding plums and apricots through hand pollination by Floyd Zainger. The name "pluot" is actually a trademarked term by Zaiger Genetics so you may find plum-apricot hybrids in the store with a different name. There are about 25 varieties of pluots on the market today so the flavors and colors between pluots can vary greatly. Our featured picture is of a "Dinosaur Egg" or Dapple Dandy.

Pluots like most fruits and vegetables are low in calories. One medium pluot contains only 40 calories. Pluots are also a good source of fiber, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C in addition to all of the phytonutrients fruits and vegetable contain. 

Select firm, ripe pluots with no cuts or bruises. Ripe pluots are tender so store them without stacking. To hasten ripening, place in a brown sack loosely closed.

Prepare and serve pluots as you would plums or apricots. They taste great in vegetable or fruit salads, in cereal, yogurt and are great all by themselves. Kids naturally love pluots because of their natural sweetness.

Apriums are also a plum-apricot hybrid trademarked by Zaiger Genetics. Apriums are roughly 75% apricot and 25% plum and therefore look more like an apricot than a plum. The variety we enjoyed had reddish skin which smoother than an apricot. The texture and taste of the aprium was juicier and sweeter than an apricot. When comparing the pluots featured above and the apriums on the right, we thought the apriums were much sweeter.

Apriums are also low in calories, 1 cup has only 75 calories. Apriums are an excellent source of vitamins A and C as well as being a good source of fiber.

Apriums have a longer shelf life than apricots and bruise less easily. Prepare and serve apriums as you would plums or apricots. 

If you are child care provider in California you can receive cash reimbursements for providing healthy food to the children in your care. If you are a child care provider in El Dorado, Alpine, Placer, Nevada or Mono county our agency can help you enroll in the California Child Care Food Program.

Recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables varies with age.

Children ages 2-3 need   1- 1.5 cups of fruits and 1- 1.5 cups of vegetables each day.

Children ages 4-8 need   1-2     cups of fruits and 1.5-2.5 cups of vegetables each day. 

Children ages 9-13 need 1.5-2  cups of fruits and 1.5-3.5 cups of vegetables each day.

Teens ages   14-18 need   1.5 -2.5 cups of fruits and 2.5-4 cups of vegetables each day.

Keep in mind that fruits and vegetables are rich in essential vitamins and minerals needed for optimum growth and development. Check out  CDC's fruit and vegetable calculator for an more accurate recommendation based upon age, sex, and activity levels.

Remember your plate.......