If you are looking for a healthy addition to your child’s meals or snacks this summer, be sure to check out Zespri  SunGold kiwifruits from New Zealand.  Sweet, colorful and juicy, they are loaded with over 20 nutrients.

I can confirm that kids love kiwifruit. Years ago when I worked as a nutrition educator for a large urban school district, I convinced my boss to add kiwifruit to the school breakfast and lunch menu. He was concerned with the prep, acceptance by kids and the potential for waste.  Forget about waste – kiwifruit soon became one of the most popular fruits on the menu! The nutrition staff simply cut them in half and we encouraged students to scoop with a spoon.  

A nutritional super star, two kiwifruits supply as much potassium as a medium banana and more vitamin C than an orange. The SunGold variety has a smoother skin than the green variety, so feel free to scrub, slice and eat the entire fruit. In fact, one study showed that eating the SunGold skin promoted both better immune and digestive function.

There are so many ways to use kiwifruit. They can be whipped into nutrient-packed smoothies, served as part of a breakfast bowl (like mine pictured here), included in a savory salsa, served in a summer fruit salad and so much more. Be sure to check out the Zespri site for recipes, tips and nutrition info.

Disclosure: I received samples of Zespri SunGold kiwifruit and was also fortunate to learn more about Zespri from organic New Zealand growers during a recent zoom call.