The abundant 2025 harvest extends the season of Northwest sweet cherries, ideal for healthy snacks and creative recipes to enjoy all year round.
With the sweet cherry season grown in the Northwest United States coming to an end in September, consumers still have the opportunity to stock up on this fruit rich in nutritional benefits, perfect to accompany the back-to-school season.
Thanks to favorable weather conditions, this year’s harvest has been particularly abundant, providing exceptionally high-quality, flavorful cherries suitable for a wide range of preparations.
“We had an outstanding season,” said Karley Lange, director of domestic promotions at the Northwest Cherry Growers. “The temperate climate favored excellent, high-quality production. This year the season is longer than usual, giving consumers more time to enjoy, preserve, and highlight Northwest cherries.”
In addition to their intense flavor, these cherries provide numerous health benefits. They are a natural source of polyphenols, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Just one cup of Northwest sweet cherries covers about 12% of the daily vitamin C requirement, thus supporting the immune system.
With a low glycemic index compared to other fruits, they are also a smart choice for those seeking a healthy, satisfying snack.
Northwest cherries are not just a quick snack: they turn into surprising ingredients for recipes both sweet and savory, to be enjoyed even out of season thanks to preservation methods such as drying, freezing, vacuum sealing, and pickling.
Among the Northwest Cherry Growers’ suggestions, some recipes stand out to highlight the flavor of cherries year-round:
Northwest sweet cherries are harvested by about 2,200 growers across five U.S. states: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and Montana.
These orchards account for over 70% of the fresh cherries found in U.S. supermarkets.
As the season draws to a close, this is the ideal time to stock up and experiment with new ways to enjoy cherries even in the colder months.
With production that combines quality, sustainability, and nutritional value, Northwest sweet cherries confirm their role as protagonists not only of summer, but of the table all year long.
Text and image source: perishablenews.com
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