Papaya is available in most supermarkets all year round. If you plan to eat them right away, look for fruit that’s mostly yellow in color and slightly soft to the touch. Papayas that are mostly green with a bit of yellow color—and firm—will be ready to eat in a few days. Avoid fruits with too many black marks or soft spots.

There are two types of papayas: Hawaiian and Mexican. The Hawaiian variety weigh about 1 pound and have yellow skin when ripe. Mexican papayas may weigh up to 10 pounds and can be more than 15 inches long. Hawaiian papayas have a little more intense flavor than the Mexican variety. Both are delicious and extremely enjoyable.

Storage: Slightly green papayas will ripen quickly at room temperature. Place them in a brown paper bag at room temperature if you wish to accelerate the ripening process. If completely ripe, refrigerate, in the crisper, and consume as soon as possible.

Preparation: A papaya has the consistency of a melon with a combination of sweet and tart flavor. To prepare a papaya for eating or cooking, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Next, use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. The fruit is now ready to slice, dice or eat.

Papaya seeds are edible (they are spicy like black pepper), but they are usually discarded. Some chefs add the seeds to salad dressings. If you like the spicy flavor of pepper, we encourage you give the seeds a try.

To boost the natural flavor, sprinkle papaya with lemon or lime juice. Here are some easy ideas for putting a tropical papaya spin on your family’s meals:

Tropical Side Salad
Ingredients:
1 diced papaya
1 diced mango
1 diced cucumber
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 1/2 cups of cooked white rice.

Dressing: 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1-2 tablespoons honey (to taste) and 2 garlic cloves minced.

Directions:
Combine all the salad ingredients together in a bowl. For the dressing, whisk together in a small bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently, and garnish with chopped peanuts.

Simple Thai-spiced Shrimp and Papaya
Ingredients:
1 pound of raw, peeled shrimp
1 peeled and sliced papaya
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 can of coconut milk
1-2 teaspoons red curry paste
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
cilantro
Directions:
Sauté the shrimp and papaya in olive oil over medium heat. When shrimp are pink remove fruit and shrimp from pan. Set aside. To the hot pan, add the coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce and lime juice. Heat the sauce gently over medium-low heat until bubbling. Add shrimp and papaya back to the pan to warm. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with rice.

Papaya Salsa
We love to use fresh salsas to change up the flavor of foods. Salsa takes a plain baked or grilled item from bland to gourmet with only minutes of prep work and no cooking. Salsas are also a simple way to add an extra fruit or veggie serving to your meal. Try this papaya salsa with grilled fish.

Ingredients:
1 papaya, seeded, peeled and diced
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a bowl, combine all ingredients and set aside at room temperature until ready to serve.

Toddler Treat: Papaya Summer Soup
Cold, fruit soups may seem a bit sophisticated for a toddler, but think again. They are perfect—sweet, healthy and refreshing. Come to think of it, they are perfect for anyone on a hot summer day. Bring two spoons to the table with a bowl of this soup. Better yet, bring a second bowl—toddlers aren’t much for sharing. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 papaya peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup pineapple, cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups of vanilla yogurt (soy or dairy)
1/2 cup of milk (soy of dairy)
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons lime juice
sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon

Directions:
Puree all ingredients in a blender. Chill and serve.
Makes 3-4 servings.

Papaya Bed for Kabobs or Grilled Meats/Tofu
Lastly, the next time you are grilling, add the wow factor to the presentation and add a new flavor. Simply slice papayas and line a serving platter with them. Sprinkle the slices with lime juice. When you are done grilling, place the main dish right on top of the papaya slices and serve. It will be a hit!

Cheryl Tallman is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the "So Easy Baby Food Basics: Homemade Baby Food in Less Than 30 Minutes Per Week" and "So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years." Visit Cheryl online at www.FreshBaby.com for more delicious tips.