These Berries Provide Delicious Summertime Blues

Long, hot summer days give me the summertime blues. And the blues I'm hoping for are baskets full of Missouri blueberries.

Blueberries are one of our healthiest and easiest fast foods to eat. They don't need to be peeled, cored or seeded. And for the most part, blueberries are naturally sweet.

There are more than 40 blueberry growers in Missouri. Most of Missouri's crop is sold at farm markets such as and a few larger grocery chains that support local farmers, such as .  To get the freshest Missouri blueberries, AgriMissouri, Missouri's agriculture promotion program, recommends making a family road trip to one of Missouri's blueberry U-Pick (pick-your-own) operations.

Whether you choose to pick your own or to purchase from a roadside stand or market, select berries that are firm, ripe and dark blue in color. If you pick your own, remember not to pry blueberries from the bush. Berries should come loose with only slight pressure. Take along a cooler to keep your berries cool since chilling blueberries after picking will increase their shelf life. Fresh-picked blueberries usually keep 10-14 days. 

To enjoy Missouri blueberries throughout the year, plan to freeze a portion of this year’s corp. To freeze blueberries, simply wash, pat dry and pour them into a freezer bag and freeze. Blueberries can also be frozen separately on a cookie sheet, then transferred and stored in freezer bags.

Frozen berries can be used in place of fresh berries in almost any recipe. Just rinse in a colander and drain well, or dry with paper towels before using.

Blueberries can be successfully kept frozen for a year. Blueberries can also be preserved as jam, jelly or syrup. Before preserving sort through the berries before using and discard those that are shriveled, soft or watery.

Fresh blueberries are considered a super food because its one of the richest sources of antioxidants are are the best eaten fresh. The following is AgriMissouri’s Top 10 List of ways to enjoy fresh blueberries:

1. Salads: Toss blueberries into a mixed green or spinach salad
2. Pancakes and waffles: Add fresh blueberries to pancake or waffle batter. Or use as a topping sprinkle over pancakes and waffles topped with syrup or whipped cream.
3. Blue juice:  Blend fresh blueberries, blackberries and a splash of orange juice in a blender; then serve over ice.
4. Blueberries muffins: Add fresh blueberries to a bran muffin mix or sweet cornbread mix.
5. Cereal toppings
6. Fruit Kabobs: Thread blueberries with sliced of kiwi and strawberries on toothpicks. Enjoy plain or dip in vanilla yogurt or sweeten sour cream.
7. Blue Smoothie: Mix milk, low fat frozen vanilla yogurt and blueberries in a blender for a tasty blue treat.
8. Parfaits: Layer blueberries along with pudding or yogurt layers in a cup or glass.
9. Fruit pizza: Spread a pre-baked pizza shell with sweeten cream cheese and top with blueberries, bananas and other favorite fruit. Brush top of fruit. Glaze fruit on top of pizza melted apple jelly.
10. Eat as is – as a fresh fruit snack.

To find a source of blueberries near you check out AgriMissouri's click on agrimo@mail.mda.state.mo.us and follow the links for blueberries, farm markets and U-pick operations.