It’s summertime in “the Peach State,” and what better way to celebrate than by enjoying the official fruit of Georgia! While peaches are easy to appreciate on their own, they can also be used in a variety of dishes to add color, texture, and brightness. If you are looking for new and creative ways to prepare this fruit this season, we’ve got some ideas for you. Remember: fresh, canned, or frozen… they all count towards your daily fruit intake!

In a salsa…

Salsa is traditionally a savory food item, but it can easily be sweetened by using fruit as the base. This Peach Salsa recipe uses fresh peaches along with cucumber and cilantro. It can be served as a topping for chicken or pork or paired with whole wheat pita chips as a snack!

In a smoothie…

One great thing about smoothies is that you can add a variety of fruits and veggies, fresh, frozen, or sometimes even canned! For example, this 4-Fruit Smoothie recipe uses canned peaches. Of course, you could use frozen or fresh, as well. Smoothies are versatile like that.

Or as a popsicle!

Popsicles that require only one ingredient really are the best kind; the faster you can make them, the faster you can eat them. To make peach popsicles this summer, simply blend ripe fresh, frozen, or canned peaches in the blender until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds, small cups, or even lined muffin tin trays and stick wooden craft sticks in the middle as the handle. Freeze and enjoy!

Note: Try adding water or lemon juice if you need some liquid to get the blending process going.

Written by Darci Bell, RDN, LD, Ph.D. Student | Edited by Laurel Sanville, MS, RDN, LD