Add color to your meals during National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month in June. As the peak season for many early garden crops find their way into markets, it’s an excellent time to take advantage of these freshly picked fruits and vegetables.
Berries and salad items come to mind first, but don’t hesitate to try exotic produce, too. As we head into a season where more variety is available, our family gets to enjoy the benefits of early summer’s bounty in vibrant color.
From zucchini and tomatoes, leafy greens, onions, and avocado, each provides added fiber, protein, and vital nutrients. Whether we eat them as a snack, on a salad or in smooth, it’s important to have five servings of fruit and vegetables per day.
Skip the canned and frozen aisle and check out the delicious fresh fruits and vegetables coming into the grocery, farmers markets, and even your garden every day in June. Maybe visit a pick-your-own-fruit-and-vegetable farm and bring home the fruits of your labor. Savor the goodness of these delicious foods and use #FreshFruitAndVegetableMonth to share on social media.
Grapes are one of the most popular fruits from around the world. National Grape Day on May 27 celebrates the juicy and flavorful varieties available for snacking, sharing, and even drinking.
Archeologists say grapes have been around for 130 million years. In fact, they are one of the oldest plants on earth. Early records indicate grapes were originally cultivated 6,000 to 7,000 years ago for trading in western Asia, including Egypt, Iran, Israel and Cyprus. Interestingly, grapes were also found in tombs during the pre-Christ era. Today, there are nearly 10,000 known varieties of grapes from around the world, with about 1,300 specific varieties found in vineyards for making wine.
5 Common Table Grapes
Concord grapes are a purple grape with a sugary taste. They have large seeds and are best when used in candy, pies, jellies, and juice.
Crimson Seedless is a reddish-green grape most commonly found in grocery stores. This grape is firm and has a subtle sweetness with a hint of tartness.
Sultana grapes, or Thompson Seedless grapes, are possibly the oldest grape available today. This greenish/white grape is a smaller table grape with a sweet, juicy flavor.
Niagara grapes, or white Concord grapes, are a light green grape that has a sweet, lemony flavor. Niagara grapes are great for making white grape juice.
Flame Seedless grapes is a popular table grape and purchased often because of availability. The grape is a purple-reddish color and is a hybrid of a Thompson Seedless and the Cardinal grape.
Vino
According to archeological finds, the art of winemaking goes back about 6,000 to 7,000 BCE after discovering wine production in the Georgia region. However, many archeologists believe wine was made long before this time. Interestingly, the winemaking discovery has allowed scientists to analyze the grapes discovered by archeologists to determine the evolution and histories of grapes.
What grapes make good wine? It is important to understand wine grapes are smaller and sweeter than grapes we buy in the grocery store. Though table grapes and wine grapes are very similar, wine grapes require specialized care when growing because of their use.
Wine grapes grow all over the world. In fact, specific regions produce the best grapes for wine. However, some people are unaware the name of wine actually reflects the name of the grape.
The flavor of wine is depends on the region the grapes grow. Vine management during the growing season requires skill and dedication to ensure the harvest season is a successful one. Picking grapes at the exact ripeness is important to deliver a delicious wine product.
Toasting wine glasses started in antiquated Rome while adding toast to wine to assist with limiting the sharpness of wine.
In old Greece the host of a party would drink the primary glass of wine to demonstrate to visitors the wine was not poison. This became known as toasting somebody’s wellbeing.
The most established cocktail was found in China around 7,000 BC, where a beverage was produced using matured grapes, honey, and rice.
Wine misrepresentation is an old regulation beginning in Mesopotamia and is known as The Code of Hammurabi.
Christianity in old Rome started involving wine as a strict custom to advance the utilization of wine to assist the wine business with thriving.
A bottle of wine goes a long way to enhancing the flavor of a meal. It also loosens the tongue and improving conversations. While most of us don’t need an excuse to open a bottle of our favorite wine, it doesn’t hurt to celebrate it when we do! There are many ways to celebrate National Grape Day, here are a few more ways to celebrate:
Add grapes to your green salad for additional flavor.
Make a peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich.
Add sliced grapes to your chicken salad.
Attend a wine tasting to learn about the different varieties of wine.
Visit a winery to learn and sample wine.
Participate in a wine exchange with a group of friends.
Share your grape celebrations on social media using #NationalGrapeDay
On the third Wednesday of every May, we celebrate the icy delight that has come to be known as frozen juice slush.
Royal courts from ages past used to bring down freshly fallen snow from mountain tops and spread crushed berries and mashed fruit on top. Little has changed. Billions of servings later the refreshing taste of icy fruit slush still thrills all ages.
The world spins faster now. There just isn’t enough time to do everything that needs to be done. National Juice Slush Day dials back the pace and brings us to a more relaxed place. No Rush…Go Slush!
Cool Tropics founded National Juice Slush Day to celebrate the curiosity, creative energy, and joy of youth. For 25 years Cool Tropics has specialized in fun, nutritious and innovative snacks/beverages. Beginning as an equipment company marketing frozen slush, Cool Tropics changed course in 2008 to put a healthy twist on an old favorite. The result: an easy to serve100% Juice Slush pouch (no equipment required). K-12 was the ideal customer for the color, fun, and excitement of these nutritious new offerings. A perfect fit for menus, field trips, and special events. Smart Snack approved with natural colors and flavors. No sugar added. Branded partnerships with Welch’s and TGIF make Cool Tropics products a trusted family favorite. Find out how to join the fun at www.cool-tropics.com.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Celebrate National Juice Slush Day dancing in the sunshine like nobody’s watching. Sip on delicious juice slush and fire up some inspiration for that great American novel. Run, jump or climb for the joy of it. Sing up to the stars between refreshing tastes or just chill poolside. Share your favorite flavors and stories by using #NationalJuiceSlushDay on social media.
May 19 is the time of year National May Ray Day celebrates the bright sunshine, warmer weather with just a slight breeze to cool your skin.
If your name is Ray or May, this is your chance to use your name as a way to get outdoors and soak up some sun. Afterall, this spring holiday is all about getting out into the sunshine and soak up some rays.
There are so many benefits of being in the sun, especially after a long winter. Our bodies need vitamins and minerals to maintain a healthy balance. Vitamin D is one of those vitamins we need for to maintain a healthy mind and body. Not only does it support bone health, it also lowers blood pressure, prevents disease and promotes strong mental health. There is also evidence healthy levels of Vitamin D in the body help reduce chances of getting cancer.
The sun is a natural resource you can use to help maintain healthy Vitamin D levels. Sun exposure:
Promotes strong bones.
Kills unwanted bacteria in your body.
Reduces cancer risks.
Reduces high blood pressure.
Improves sleeping habits.
Excessive sun exposure can also cause serious health problems, especially skin cancer. However, there are a few preventative measures you can take to make your day in the sun enjoyable:
Wear clothes that cover your arms and legs.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat that covers your shoulders, ears, face and head.
Wear sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays.
Always were sunscreen with at least 15 SPF or higher.
Use an umbrella to block direct sunlight.
The natural turn of seasons is a beautiful transition. The grass turns green, flowers bloom, baby birds are seen learning to fly and new beginnings are seen everywhere. Springtime is a time to enjoy watching nature come alive.
A RAY OF HISTORY
We can thank comedian Richard Ankli for National May Ray Day. Born the same day, Ankli decided to honor his brother Ray with his own special day by declaring today National May Ray Day. Eventually, the Broadway residence in St. Joseph, Michigan, also known as the Broadway Fun Spot, began celebrating day, too. As a writer and comedian at Broadway Fun Spot (BFS) & Little Butter Publishing Co., Richard may have had the opportunity to self-promote his declaration.
Richard also gets credit for creating another holiday. Once again, Richard set out to honor another birthday on October 25. National Sourest Day was appropriately named after Richards friend, whose last name happened to be Sauer.
Whether or not this is how either day became official, we recommend going outside and enjoy the sunshine.
SOAK UP THE SUN
Plan a picnic.
Go for walk.
Buy a new summer dress.
Plant some flowers.
Read in the park.
Visit a zoo.
Share you day in the sun using #NationalMayRayDay on social media
May arrives with longer days, blooming flowers, and a gentle reminder to pause and celebrate the women who shape our lives from the shadows of selflessness. While we often honor mothers with greeting cards and brunch reservations, the true essence of “Mom” lies not in a single Sunday, but in the quiet, relentless rhythm of family life.
A mother—or the mother figure who steps into that role—is the family’s emotional architect. She is the one who remembers the school permission slips, the pediatrician appointments, and which child is afraid of the dark. She tracks not just birthdays, but the subtle shifts in mood: the slumped shoulders after a tough day, the fidgeting that signals worry, the sudden silence that means something is wrong.
At dawn, she is often the first to rise. Not out of obligation, but out of love’s habit. She brews coffee while packing lunches, writes a sticky-note joke for a child’s lunchbox, and somehow knows exactly when to offer a hug or simply sit in companionable quiet. By mid-morning, she may be a mediator of sibling squabbles, a cheerleader for a failed math quiz, or a translator between a teenager’s grunts and a partner’s confusion.
As the sun arcs higher, the mom figure becomes the family’s logistical mastermind. She juggles carpools, extracurricular schedules, grocery lists, and the invisible labor of maintaining a home—changing sheets, restocking bandages, remembering whose turn it is to take out the trash. Often, she holds a paid job outside the home, adding professional deadlines to the emotional and domestic ones.
But her role goes far beyond tasks. A mother is the family’s historian and storyteller. She keeps the photo albums (digital or physical), reminds everyone where the baby lost their first tooth, and repeats the funny stories until they become legend. She is also the family’s soft landing place—the one who says, “It’s okay to cry,” and means it. When a child fails, she doesn’t lecture; she listens. When a partner struggles, she doesn’t fix; she holds space.
Grandmothers, aunts, stepmothers, foster mothers, and chosen moms—the women who mother without the title—perform this same alchemy. They show up to recitals without being asked. They keep a spare key and a listening ear. They knit blankets for newborns and offer wisdom wrapped in patience. In families where a biological mother is absent, these figures fill the void with fierce, tender consistency.
Yet for all they give, mothers often carry a quiet weight: the guilt of not doing enough, the exhaustion of invisible work, the loneliness of being the default parent. They downplay their own needs—skipping the doctor’s appointment, eating the cold meal, staying up late to sew a costume or edit a resume. And still, they show up again the next morning.
So this May, let’s celebrate differently. Yes, bring the flowers and the brunch. But also notice the small things: the way she folds laundry while listening to a child’s story, the gentle firmness when she sets a boundary, the laughter that breaks through a chaotic evening. Thank the mom figures who aren’t blood but chose to love anyway. Give her an afternoon of silence, a handwritten letter, or simply the words, “I see you. I see all of it.”
Because in the end, what mothers and mother figures do is nothing less than this: they make a house feel like home, and they teach us, things like how to use a spoon. By their very presence, we see what unconditional love looks like in action. And that is worth celebrating—not just in May, but every single day.
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