Strawberry Day - February 27!

Strawberries are one of the most nutritious foods in the world. They are jammed with antioxidants, are heart healthy, helps to increase good cholesterol, lowers blood pressure and can also help prevent against cancer. So, to say they are healthy is a bit of an understatement. And for such a small plant, strawberries are oddly durable and can be found nearly anywhere that you will find people.

So, naturally, with all the health benefits of this amazing berry, there is a day of celebration. And while we love the health benefits, what we love more is the versatility of this fruit. Strawberries pack a combination of sweet and tart which enable it to be used as a succulent dessert, an addition to a refreshing salad, and can even accompany warm dishes. That doesn’t even include, jellies, jams, sauces and everything else they are used for.
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So, while you’re waiting for your toaster to pop out our Fresh Berry Toastilla Pocket, we thought we’d give you a few facts about this delicious berry. 

• Strawberries are notorious for their tiny chia-sized seeds adorning the outside of the fruit. But, did you know that strawberries are the only fruit to have seeds on the outside of their skin? In fact, there are nearly 200 of these small seeds on each strawberry. This might have something to do with how widespread the fruit has become around the world. 

• But, wait a second, because those stingy little seeds provide a little bit of a problem for Strawberries. Technically, a berry has seeds on the inside, which not only eliminate the strawberry as a berry, but actually means that to a botanist, each of those 200 seeds is their own individual fruit. 

• To add a little more to this “what is a strawberry?” puzzle, strawberries are also a member of the rose family. 

• Beyond the seeds, strawberries are also perennials, which means that they will come back year after year for about five years. Basically, that means you will have strawberries a plenty with little work. Not a bad deal. 

• While every state in the United States and every province in Canada grows strawberries, there is one special place that grows 80% of North Americas strawberries. Obviously, it is California which produces about three-billion pounds of the fruit. 

• Do you have a problem remembering when foods are in season? Well, strawberries make it easy, they are the first fruit to ripen in spring.

• Depending on the variety and location, the strawberries growing season lasts from February to November. Although, it’s peak season is considered April through June. 

• Pregnant women should be eating a lot of strawberries. Studies have shown that women can reduce birth defects such as spina bifida by consuming strawberries regularly. 

• While you may love the bright red and heart-shaped strawberries in your backyard, they come in a variety of colors many people are unaware of such as blue, black, yellow, white, and purple. 

• If you really love strawberries, but wish they were bigger, don’t fret because there are strawberries that are the size of an animal. 

• And if the word love is an understatement, you can get your fill of strawberry knowledge and foods at the Musée de la Fraise de Wepion (Belgium’s Museum of Strawberries).