Pomegranate and colorful fruit ideas for everyday snacks

Meet the ruby fruit

A pomegranate is a round, leathery fruit packed with glossy red seeds, called arils, each wrapped in juicy, tart-sweet flesh. It looks like a jewel box when you open it, and it brings instant color to a plate.

This article is about snack ideas and kitchen tricks, so let's focus on how to enjoy it. Fall and winter are peak season in many places, but you can find the seeds in the produce aisle much of the year.

How to open a pomegranate without the mess

The seeds can squirt, so wear an apron or dark shirt. Here is a tidy method:

• Cut off the crown, the flower-shaped top, and score the skin lightly from top to bottom in four places.
• Place the fruit in a large bowl of water and gently pull it apart into sections.
• Rub the seeds loose with your thumbs. The seeds sink and the white pith floats to the top.
• Skim off the pith, drain the seeds and pat them dry.

Prefer a dry method? Cut the fruit in half, hold it cut-side down over a bowl and tap the skin firmly with a wooden spoon. The seeds drop right out. Fresh seeds keep in a sealed container in the fridge for several days, so one pomegranate can supply snacks for the whole week.

Six easy snack ideas

• Yogurt parfait: layer plain yogurt, pomegranate seeds, sliced kiwi and a sprinkle of granola.
• Rainbow fruit plate: arrange strawberries, orange segments, pineapple, green grapes and blueberries in color order.
• Savory salad topper: scatter seeds over spinach, goat cheese and toasted walnuts.
• Sparkling spritz: add a spoonful of seeds to a glass of sparkling water with a slice of lime.
• Oatmeal bowl: top warm oats with seeds, banana slices and cinnamon.
• Cheese board: pair seeds with apple wedges, crackers and a creamy cheese.

Mix, match and make it your own. Swap the toppings for whatever is in season: pears and pecans in autumn, citrus in winter, berries and mint in summer. A few colors on the plate make snacks more fun, especially for kids and guests. Arrange a fruit plate in a circle or in stripes and it looks like a party, even on an ordinary Tuesday. Let kids choose their own colors and build their own bowls; people tend to enjoy what they helped assemble.

Prep once, snack all week

Wash and cut fruit in the same sitting, then store it in clear containers at eye level in the fridge. When fruit is the first thing you see, it is the first thing you reach for. Keep sturdy options like grapes, apples and oranges on the counter in a bowl.

For lunch boxes, pack seeds in a small lidded cup so they stay plump and do not stain other foods. Frozen grapes and a few pomegranate seeds in a thermos lid are a fun, cold finish on a warm day.

This pairs nicely with a weekly prep session; see our Sunday meal prep routine for a step-by-step flow, and afternoon slump fixes without the sugar for ways to use those snacks at 3 p.m. For more general ideas on eating a variety of produce, visit the MedlinePlus nutrition page.

A short word about AlkaMelt

Pomegranate juice concentrate is one of the six ingredient names listed for AlkaMelt in the product information we reviewed, along with green tea extract, apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, ginger root extract and vitamin B12. The brand describes AlkaMelt as a daily liquid dietary supplement, shown taken directly with the dropper or mixed into water once a day, following the label. The complete Supplement Facts panel is printed on the bottle label.

Snacking on fresh fruit and taking a supplement are separate habits, and both can fit a tidy routine. Learn more on the ingredients page, or see today's price on the order page. For how supplements are described and labeled, the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements consumer fact sheet is a good reference.