Summer Eatin’

Summer means a whole new season of foods. Like mom always said, an educated eater is a happy eater, so enjoy these interesting facts about some favorite American summer foods.

CORN ON THE COB: Did you know that corn is the largest crop in the United States?

WATERMELONS: Watermelons originally came from the Kalahari Desert region in Africa, which is interesting because the average watermelon is 92 percent water.

PEACHES: 26 million tons of peaches are grown worldwide each year. The highest peach-producing countries are, in order, China, Spain, Italy, the U.S. and Greece.

STRAWBERRIES: The strawberry is actually a member of the rose family. Each strawberry contains approximately 200 seeds.

LEMONADE: Lemonade has a long history and can be traced back to ancient Egypt. The Egyptians were known to mix lemon juice with sugar to create a refreshing beverage.

BARBECUE: The word barbecue comes from the Arawak word barbakoa, meaning frame of sticks.

ICE CREAM: One of the world’s most popular desserts, ice cream was most likely first created in China around 2000 BC.

TOMATOES: Up until the mid-19th century, many cultures thought the tomato was poisonous.

POTATO SALAD: What’s a cookout without potato salad? Americans sure must eat a lot of it: the U.S. potato harvest is around 24 millions tons annually.

There’s a lot to look forward to as summer rolls in:  Sun . . . spending time outside . . . barbeques . . . vacations . . . and being very aware of how often the people around you are showering.

In a new survey, there’s another perk of summer:  Food tasting less bland.

71% of people say certain foods taste better in the summer, particularly watermelon, ice cream, and lemonade . . . as well as barbecued chicken, hot dogs, and corn on the cob.

Of course, people don’t wait to bring out their killer hot dog recipe until the summer months . . . a big part of this is grilling, and eating outdoors.

40% of people love eating outdoors whenever possible . . . and 58% of them say they wish they could eat outside all year round.

And 31% of people say they’re less bothered by eating “messy foods” in the summer than at other times of the year.

(SWNS)