Comparing Apples to Apples

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Did you know?

There are hundreds of different apple varieties grown in the U.S., and new ones are being discovered all the time. As the major crops come in, Sprouts may carry up to 20 different types of apples, including organic, throughout the season, but in many cases the availability is limited, so you have to act fast! Apple sweetness, texture and uses can vary depending on the type of apple. We’ve rounded up some tips and tricks to learn more about your favorite apple varieties, including some unique ones too!

A few core facts:

  1. Apple skin contains about 2/3 of their dietary fiber.
  2. Apples can pick up the flavors of other foods around them, so store them away from cabbage and onions.
  3. One 9-inch apple pie generally requires about two pounds of apples (six, medium-sized apples).
  4. One bad apple can indeed spoil the whole barrel! Don’t keep bruised or rotting apples nearby other apples.

Here are some of the unique varieties to look for this season:

LucyGLO

  • Flavor: Sweet and tart with a hint of berry
  • Tip: Tasty in salads or beautiful on cheese plates. Juice them for a vibrant pink and refreshing beverage

Sugarbee

  • Flavor: Juicy, aromatic flesh and just the right amount of sweetness
  • Tip: Perfect for baking and dehydrating as it retains its shape well

Empire

  • Flavor: Crisp and juicy with a sweet-tart flavor
  • Tip: Try them roasted, baked or sautéed into chicken and pork dishes

LucyROSE

  • Flavor: Sweet and crisp with a hint of berry
  • Tip: Crisp snacking apple that is striking in salads and on cheese plates. Kids love the enticing red color

Pink Lady

  • Flavor: Crunchy and sweet, with a wonderful fizz and eye-opening flavor
  • Tip: Great for cooking, it pairs well with your favorite dessert or salad

Ambrosia

  • Flavor: Sweet and juicy with a pleasing, fragrant aroma
  • Tip: Perfect for fruit salads, pies or paired with your favorite cheeses

Gala

  • Flavor: Dense, creamy yellow and crisp flesh, offering a mildly sweet flavor and flora aroma
  • Tip: Perfect for use in fruit, green and chopped salads or as a kid-sized snack apple

Fuji

  • Flavor: Creamy white flesh, juicy and crisp. Low in acid with a mild yet very sweet flavor
  • Tip: High sugar levels are ideal for baking, roasting, sautéing and eating fresh

Honeycrisp

  • Flavor: The balance of sugar and acid has a pleasant, sweet-tart flavor
  • Tip: Remove the skin and slow cook to make applesauce, preserves or apple butter

Carton of Rockit Apples
Rockit

  • Flavor: Crunchy with a deliciously sweet flavor
  • Tip: The small size makes it perfect for on-the-go snacking

Envy

  • Flavor: Beautiful red skin with a sweet and bright flesh that remains white after cutting
  • Tip: Slice for salads, cheese boards or enjoy as-is for a fresh snack

Hunnyz Apple
Hunnyz

  • Flavor: Sweet and tangy with exceptional crunch and texture
  • Tip: Add to salads, juices and more for a perfect sweet and tangy combo

Kiku

  • Flavor: Incredibly sweet with a juicy, crisp bite
  • Tip: Balance their super sweet taste with a mild, hard cheese for a wholesome snack

Kanzi

  • Flavor: Mild and crunchy
  • Tip: Delicious in salads and holds up well in baked dishes

Ruby Frost Apple
Ruby Frost

  • Flavor: Sweet and tart with a crisp texture
  • Tip: Perfect for your favorite warm seasonal dishes and baking

Snapdragon

  • Flavor: Extra sweet and juicy with a crisp crunch
  • Tip: Great for salads and kids lunches

McIntosh

  • Flavor: Juicy and bright white in color, with crisp flesh and aromatic fragrance
  • Tip: Use chopped in a stuffing or purée and add to a soup

Golden Delicious

  • Flavor: Firm and crisp with a light, sweet flavor
  • Tip: Their extra-firm bite holds up well in baked goods for a delightful crunch

Rave

  • Flavor: Super juicy and sweet with a light honey finish
  • Tip: Store them in the refrigerator and enjoy fresh out-of-hand for a refreshing eating experience

SweetTango

  • Flavor: Super crunchy with a lightly sweet, juicy bite
  • Tip: Best enjoyed when freshly sliced as a tasty snack or atop savory salads

LucyGLO

  • Flavor: Sweet and tart with a hint of berry
  • Tip: Tasty in salads or beautiful on cheese plates. Juice them for a vibrant pink and refreshing beverage

Sugarbee

  • Flavor: Juicy, aromatic flesh and just the right amount of sweetness
  • Tip: Perfect for baking and dehydrating as it retains its shape well

Empire

  • Flavor: Crisp and juicy with a sweet-tart flavor
  • Tip: Try them roasted, baked or sautéed into chicken and pork dishes

LucyROSE

  • Flavor: Sweet and crisp with a hint of berry
  • Tip: Crisp snacking apple that is striking in salads and on cheese plates. Kids love the enticing red color

Pink Lady

  • Flavor: Crunchy and sweet, with a wonderful fizz and eye-opening flavor
  • Tip: Great for cooking, it pairs well with your favorite dessert or salad

Ambrosia

  • Flavor: Sweet and juicy with a pleasing, fragrant aroma
  • Tip: Perfect for fruit salads, pies or paired with your favorite cheeses

Gala

  • Flavor: Dense, creamy yellow and crisp flesh, offering a mildly sweet flavor and flora aroma
  • Tip: Perfect for use in fruit, green and chopped salads or as a kid-sized snack apple

Fuji

  • Flavor: Creamy white flesh, juicy and crisp. Low in acid with a mild yet very sweet flavor
  • Tip: High sugar levels are ideal for baking, roasting, sautéing and eating fresh

Honeycrisp

  • Flavor: The balance of sugar and acid has a pleasant, sweet-tart flavor
  • Tip: Remove the skin and slow cook to make applesauce, preserves or apple butter

Carton of Rockit Apples
Rockit

  • Flavor: Crunchy with a deliciously sweet flavor
  • Tip: The small size makes it perfect for on-the-go snacking

Envy

  • Flavor: Beautiful red skin with a sweet and bright flesh that remains white after cutting
  • Tip: Slice for salads, cheese boards or enjoy as-is for a fresh snack

Hunnyz Apple
Hunnyz

  • Flavor: Sweet and tangy with exceptional crunch and texture
  • Tip: Add to salads, juices and more for a perfect sweet and tangy combo

Kiku

  • Flavor: Incredibly sweet with a juicy, crisp bite
  • Tip: Balance their super sweet taste with a mild, hard cheese for a wholesome snack

Kanzi

  • Flavor: Mild and crunchy
  • Tip: Delicious in salads and holds up well in baked dishes

Ruby Frost Apple
Ruby Frost

  • Flavor: Sweet and tart with a crisp texture
  • Tip: Perfect for your favorite warm seasonal dishes and baking

Snapdragon

  • Flavor: Extra sweet and juicy with a crisp crunch
  • Tip: Great for salads and kids lunches

McIntosh

  • Flavor: Juicy and bright white in color, with crisp flesh and aromatic fragrance
  • Tip: Use chopped in a stuffing or purée and add to a soup

Golden Delicious

  • Flavor: Firm and crisp with a light, sweet flavor
  • Tip: Their extra-firm bite holds up well in baked goods for a delightful crunch

Rave

  • Flavor: Super juicy and sweet with a light honey finish
  • Tip: Store them in the refrigerator and enjoy fresh out-of-hand for a refreshing eating experience

SweetTango

  • Flavor: Super crunchy with a lightly sweet, juicy bite
  • Tip: Best enjoyed when freshly sliced as a tasty snack or atop savory salads


 

Now that you know how to pick ’em, give these recipes a try!

Apple Brie Flatbread with Walnuts and Honey

Apple Brie Flatbread with Walnuts and Honey

Get Recipe
Caramelized Onion Apple Pasta with Sage

Caramelized Onion Apple Pasta with Sage

Get Recipe
Gluten-Free Glazed Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Gluten-Free Glazed Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Get Recipe


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