One summer fruit that I am always looking forward to buying are mangos. They are not always available, but are in season from May to September so that is your best chance at finding them at the grocery store. They are a popular summer fruit to add to many cuisines for that special tropical flavor.
Some of the best ways to use them are in salsa, jams and jellies, or in a mango smoothie. You can also dehydrate them to have a healthy snack on the go!
How To Wash Mangoes
Washing mangos is just as important as any other fruit. Even though you donāt eat the outside, you want to make sure that it is clean when you cut through it. You will wash your mango by putting it in a large bowl with about 10 cups of water and Ā¼ cup distilled 5% white vinegar.
Allow the mango to soak for two minutes. After the two minutes is up, you should allow your mango to air dry on the counter for a few hours. I love using this beach towel which covers my whole counter, giving me plenty of room to dry all of my produce. Following these simple steps of washing mangos will help this summer fruit stay fresh even longer!
How to Store Mangos
After you are done washing mangos, they should be stored whole and in a bowl in the fridge. I like to keep my mangos on one of the top shelves of my fridge in an acrylic bin. This makes them easy to see so I donāt forget about them. You can learn more about fridge organization, including a handy chart, in my Grocery Guide and Meal Planner.
Mangos produce a high amount of ethylene, which is the gas that causes produce to ripen. For this reason, you will want to make sure that they are stored away from other fruits and vegetables, especially apples, which are sensitive to ethylene.
Since apples are more of a Fall fruit, and mangos are a summer fruit, it should be easy to keep them apart. This is another reason why it is helpful to shop seasonally. Not only are you getting produce that is fresher, but you are able to enjoy different things throughout the year.
Other ethylene sensitive fruits are lemons and avocados. That is why I always recommend keeping those in the crisper drawer away from other fruits or vegetables, especially mangos. Avocados can last a month when stored correctly, check out this blog for more information.
How to Freeze Mango
Earlier this summer I found mangos on sale and bought 10 of them. I wanted to put some of them in the freezer because we love to have them in smoothies. To freeze them, cut the mango into small pieces or slices and put the pieces on a tray first. Place that tray in the freezer, this is called flash freezing. It allows each piece to freeze individually so you donāt have a giant chunk of mango in your freezer.
Once they are frozen, transfer them to a reusable bag or glass container for long term storage. You can keep these frozen mangos for up to a year!
Easy Mango Smoothie Recipe
- Mango (fresh or frozen), to taste
- Spinach (fresh or frozen)
- Milk (any kind)
- Berries of your choice (optional), to taste
- PurƩe in a blender until smooth and enjoy!
Mango smoothies are so easy to make. I use coconut milk which is shelf stable so it is something that we always have on hand. I use frozen mango as well as frozen spinach. Spinach is another item that I keep in the freezer in a reusable bag. This means that whenever a recipe calls for it, I have some. You could also add in other frozen berries that you might have on hand for extra flavor. Having everything on hand means we can make a mango smoothie anytime!
Zero Waste Produce Guide
Mangos are one of the 75 items that I talk about in my book, The Zero Waste Produce Guide. It has directions for how to wash and store fruits, vegetables, and herbs along with over 40 recipes to show you how to use your produce. It is available on Amazon and in The Cross Legacy Shop.
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