Meet the Apple Family

basket of apples

We’ve all heard the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” — and for good reason. With only about 80 calories in a small apple, they also contain healthy nutrients such as fiber, vitamins and minerals. When it comes to cooking, apples have many uses — a delicious addition to both sweet and savory recipes.

The most popular types of apples:

Braeburn: Red-orange color with a touch of yellow. Crisp, juicy and sweet with a hint of spice. Great for snacking and salads.

Cortland: Red color with some green. Sweet with a little bit of tart flavor, not as crisp as other apples. Good for snacking, salads and baking.

Empire: Dark red color. Juicy and crisp with a sweet-tart flavor. Good for any type of dish.

Fuji: Red and yellow color. Firm and sweet. One of the most popular apples that are delicious to eat raw.

Gala: Red color with yellow throughout. Crispy, juicy and sweet. Another popular apple that’s best eaten raw.

Golden delicious: Light yellow color. Sweet and crisp. Good for snacking and baking.

Granny smith: Light green color. Citrusy, tart and firm. An excellent baking apple!

Honey crisp: Light red color with yellow background. Crispy, juicy and sweet. A newer variety that’s become a popular snacking apple. Also good for salads and applesauce.

Jazz: Red color with some yellow background. Sweet and tart, very crisp. A great baking and snacking apple.

Jonagold: Red color with light yellow top. Firm, juicy and sweet-tart flavor. Great for both eating raw and baking.

McIntosh: Deep red color. Tart, juicy and soft texture. Best eaten raw or to make applesauce.

Pink lady: Light red-pink color. Juicy and tart with a bit of sweetness. Best for eating raw.

Red delicious: Shiny, dark red color. Heart-shaped with knobs or “feet” at the bottom. Sweet and juicy – one of the most well-known apples. Best eaten raw.

Rome beauty: Bright red color. Firm with a touch of tartness. Not great for eating raw, but best for baking.

Appetizing apple ideas:

Snack on apple slices with peanut butter (compare labels to find one without added salt or sugars).
Make applesauce by cooking chopped apples with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Make a salad with chopped apples, walnuts, balsamic vinegar and spinach.
Add diced apples to your homemade turkey meatloaf.
Mix canned, low-sodium tuna with chopped apples, celery and ¼ teaspoon or less Dijon mustard for a sandwich or salad.
Slice thin and layer apples with low-sodium turkey, low-fat, low-sodium cheese and lettuce on a whole-wheat tortilla.
Blend chopped apple, frozen banana, low-fat, no-added-sugar vanilla yogurt and orange juice for a refreshing smoothie.
Stuff an apple (with core removed) with raisins, cinnamon and oats. Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-55 minutes.