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Pear Basics
Fiber in pears promotes good digestion and helps maintain a healthy heart.
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- Choose firm pears without cuts or bruises. Pears nick and bruise very easily, so handle with care.
- Pears are picked when mature but ripen at room temperature for best texture and taste.
- Pears may be best quality and lowest cost when they are in season, September through May depending on the variety.
- Select Asian pears that are fragrant and unbruised. Ripe Asian pears are firm and do not soften. They are ready to eat when purchased.
Choose pears canned in water or 100% juice.
Store Well Waste Less
- Ripen pears at room temperature. Press gently near the stem. If the neck feels soft, the pear is ready to eat.
- Once pears are ripe, use within 3 to 5 days or refrigerate to keep them longer.
- Wash pears under cool running water just before eating, even if you plan to peel them.
- Peel or cut pears just before using to avoid browned flesh.
- Asian pears: store up to 1 week at room temperature or up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
Types of Pears
Bartlett - classic pear shape. Soft, juicy and very sweet. Red or green to yellow skin.
Bosc - slender pear shape. Crisp and sweet. feels more firm when pressed. Brown skin with green to yellow undertones.
Comice - round body with a very short neck. Soft, juicy, and very sweet.
Anjou - egg-shaped. Moderately soft and juicy with balanced sweetness. Red or green skin.
Asian pear - usually round. Crisp texture like apples; taste and color vary. Skin can be green, yellow or reddish-brown and sometimes speckled with small brown spots.
Enjoy Pears
Recipes
Chicken and Pear Salad
Pear and Cranberry Crisp
Pear Quesadillas
Kids Can!
When kids help make healthy food, they are more likely to try it. Show kids how to:
- wash pears under cool running water.
- safely use a can opener.
- use a spoon to remove the seed core and cut a long ‘v’ to remove the fibers from the core to the stem.
- measure and mix ingredients.