March Produce Picks

March produce picks for the month:

CALIFORNIA GOLD NUGGET MANDARINS

What’s a Gold Nugget? The skins are deep orange in color and appear pebbled and bumpy – like a nugget of gold. Inside of this virtually seedless mandarin the orange-gold flesh is sweet and juicy. They’re acidic enough to be bright, yet richly sweet, making them an excellent snacking variety.

Organic and Conventional Gold Nugget Mandarins are in peak season from California during March and April.

ASPARAGUS

Spring does not officially start until March 20, but you can add a spring-feel to your department with Asparagus from Mexico. Fresh Asparagus can drive incremental sales when customers can envision great ways to prepare it at home – like roasting, sauteing, and steaming.

BROCCOLETTE (SWEET BABY BROCCOLI)

Organic and Conventional Broccolette is rapidly increasing in popularity as consumers taste it on restaurant menus.

A cross between Chinese Kale and regular Broccoli, Broccolette has slender stalks small broccoli florets. It features a delicate and sweet Broccoli flavor with hints of Asparagus. The whole vegetable is edible and is cooked any way you’d cook Broccoli, just for a shorter amount of time.

Broccolette is sold by several names including: Sweet Baby Broccoli, Broccolini and Aspiration.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Brussels Sprouts taste nutty and rich cruciferous vegetable, but if you over-boil or over-steam Brussels Sprouts you’ll actually bring out a sulfur nastiness that is the number one reason people don’t like them in the first place. Brussels Sprouts can also be enjoyed raw in salads or slaws if shaved thinly like lettuce. Their flavor raw is a little like cabbage.

March is a strong month of fresh production for Brussels Sprouts. Successful retailers promote Brussels Sprouts in several configuration – bulk, packaged, and convenience packs like microwaveable, shredded, or halved.

RAINBOW CARROTS

Bursting with color, Organic Rainbow Carrots are just begging to be sautéed, roasted or shaved into a salad! The Purple Carrots are extra high in beta-carotene, the Yellow Carrots are mild, the White Carrots are rustic and sweet, and I believe you’re familiar with the Orange Carrots.

Late winter and early spring is prime time for this popular item.

RED POTATOES

Red Potatoes are ideal for roasting, boiling for salads and mashing because of their high moisture content. For frying? Not so much. No peeling! The best part about Red Potatoes is that you’re supposed to eat them with the skins on. Simply wash, cut and cook. Baby Red potatoes don’t even need the cutting step.

March will be a strong month for promoting plentiful storage crop Red Potatoes from growing regions like Idaho and Canada. New crop Red Potatoes are also in season from Florida.

ATAULFO (CHAMPAGNE) MANGOS

Creamy, golden Ataulfo Mangos are often smaller than most other red and green skin varieties, but it also has a much thinner seed in the middle so you get more yummy fruit to enjoy. The texture of the golden flesh is smooth, free more free from stringiness than other orange-fleshed Mangos. The flavor? Sweet, a little tangy, tropical… almost caramel-like when they’re fully ripe.

Ataulfo Mangos are at their best from Mexico during March and April. they are sold as yellow mangos, ataulfo mangos, and are branded by one grower as champagne mangos.

GREENHOUSE CLUSTER TOMATOES

During March, new crop Tomatoes On-the-Vine with fresh, thick, aromatic stems are coming into good volume from greenhouses in the US and Canada.

GREENHOUSE JUMBO BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES

Large, broad-shouldered Hothouse Tomatoes (sometimes called Greenhouse, Beefsteak or Hydroponic Tomatoes) are grown in the optimal conditions of these sophisticated greenhouses. Hothouse Tomatoes are best for slicing purposes.

March is when the biggest fruit is picked from the fresh crop vines.