Healthful Bites

Pineapple, the golden, odd-shaped, almost ornamental fruit is another produce item that can baffle consumers. That must be why there are products out there that promise easier pineapple dissection (at upwards of 20 or even 40 dollars!) like this and this.

But there’s no need to be intimidated by this tropical delight. After you get the hang of taking the peel off and chunking the fruit, the process will be speedy and save you some money by bypassing the pre-cut fruit selection at the grocery store!

My best Mom-learned tips and tricks to disassemble a pineapple in no time flat are offered here, all for the low, low price of three easy payments of zero dollars!

Besides being juicy and naturally sweet, pineapples provide a large amount of vitamin C (123 percent of your daily recommended intake in one cup!), a decent amount of fiber for only 78 calories per cup. Although pineapple is primarily in season in the spring—so it will taste best more consistently then, be more available and more affordable—it’s generally in supermarkets year-round. (Some may critique me for not eating locally-grown, seasonal produce, but when is pineapple in season in the Midwest? I don’t want to be pineapple-less forever ;) )

Here’s your step-by-step guide to get snack or fruit salad-ready pineapple pieces:

• Step 1: Grab your rinsed pineapple, a cutting board and a medium-sized serrated knife. It may be helpful to place a dish towel under the cutting board to catch drips and keep the board stable. Slice off the leafy top of the fruit.

• Step 2: Discard the top and quarter the edible portion. Then slice off a pyramid-shaped piece off the top of each quarter—this is the tough core. You should be able to feel and see the difference between the juicy flesh and the whiter, stiffer core.

• Step 3: Take each quarter and individually slice the peel away from the fruit. These will basically look like fruit “boats,” with each quarter holding a large piece of pineapple. Next, chop the fruit that’s now separated into thirds.

• Step 4: Slice the pineapple in the opposite direction to get fairly even-sized pieces and pour into a bowl for refrigerator storage. (You can store the pineapple on your counter for a day or two before cutting, but I find it tastier to let it chill a bit before eating and it should be stored in the fridge after it’s peeled).

• Step 5: To be frugal and/or if you like pineapple juice, take a spoon and scrape off some edible portions left on the “boat.” Repeat the process for each quarter and you’re set!

So that concludes the “Prep in a Flash” series for now. Are there any other items you’d like to see me take on?

One thing that calls my name nearly every time I step in the grocery store? Pre-cut produce. It’s so much simpler to grab a tub full of peeled, sliced kiwi; washed, de-stemmed berries; or sliced watermelon than to cut these items myself. However, I am my frugal mother’s daughter and can’t let myself take the easy route out if I can save a few pennies (or dollars at times!)

Following that concept, I decided to dedicate my next two “Good for you Eats” posts to preparing often difficult to handle fruits. First up: the pomegranate!

One-half cup of pomegranate seeds provides 3 grams of fiber, about 15% of daily recommended vitamin C plus a good amount potassium and several potent antioxidants for only 72 calories.

I must admit that before this little experiment, I have never actually tried pomegranate seeds (gasp)! Many healthy living bloggers out there may be appalled—but since I’ve never tried pomegranate before, perhaps others in the Healthful Bites community haven’t either.

Anyways, these ruby-colored, round fruits can generally be found from September through January. That means if you round up a cart or basket and hit the aisles, you should be able to come across these right now!

Pomegranates have intimidated me in the past because of their unfamiliar shape, preparation, etc. But after hearing Lee (“Fat Guy” from Dr. Fitness and the Fat Guy) explain how to properly remove the seeds, I decided to take a stab at it myself! Incidentally, this is also the same method that the Pomegranate Council recommends. This must be the way to do it ;) (Although in my opinion, any way that gets the job done is OK with me!) Just be careful while working with the pomegranate: the juice can splatter and does stain easily.

• Step 1:  Score the outside of the pomegranate at the pointy parts—you will see a slightly rounded pentagon-shaped fruit when selecting one at the store. This is caused by the shape the insides take. By slicing at the points furthest from the center, you will likely be hitting the non-edible parts.

• Step 2: Slice a round piece off of the top and bottom to release the scored sections.

• Step 3: Grab a bowl of water and one section of the fruit. Rub fingers over the inside of the pomegranate to release the seeds (the edible parts). It’s also helpful at times to peel off the bigger pieces of white lining off to free up the seeds to drop into the water. Repeat with other segments.

• Step 4: Skim the white pieces off the top of the water—these should float—and drain the seedy water through a strainer. (Displaying on an old school Christmas placemat is optional :) )

Voila! Now you have a bowl full of juicy fruit pieces to snack on straight, toss in yogurt or cereal or even as part of a more savory dish.

So the verdict? A bit sweet, a bit tart and all-around quite tasty! Plus, this process took about ten minutes. Totally worth it to reap so many seeds from just one fruit!

Stay tuned for next week for another edition of Prep in a Flash, Save Some Cash…

Do you have any items you’d be willing to splurge for at the grocery store in the name of convenience?