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Home » Seasonal Guides » Kiwi

Published: Feb 27, 2020 · Modified: Jan 31, 2022 by Veronica T

Kiwi

Jump to:
  • When are kiwi in season?
  • How to pick
  • How to store
  • Nutrition & benefits
  • Tenderize meat with kiwi
  • Recipes
  • Sources

When are kiwi in season?

Kiwifruit are a bit unique when it comes to how they ripen. Most fruits taste noticeably better when left to fully ripen on the vine or tree, but kiwi continue to ripen after harvest (they are climacteric).

This allows kiwis to be harvested while hard, but continue to develop flavor, increase sugars, and soften.

Since they can be harvested while still hard, they are more durable and stand up to shipping. This provides us with high quality options no matter where we live, or the time of year.

The US kiwi season lasts from October through May, and is opposite for kiwi imported from New Zealand and Chile in the southern hemisphere.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
USxxxxxxxx
NZxxxxxx
Chilexxxxxxxxx

See what else is in season at the same time as US-grown kiwi: October, November, December, January, February, March, April, and May

How to pick

You can't determine a kiwi's flavor by external signs.

  • Soft kiwi: buy soft kiwi if you plan to use them soon. They bruise easily, so squeeze the fruit ever so slightly.
  • Hard kiwi: for longer storage, buy hard kiwi.

A kiwi is ripe and ready to eat when it is soft and aromatic.

How to store

  • Whole kiwi: leave on the counter to ripen (soften & sweeten) if still hard. When soft, store in the crisper drawer of the fridge (they prefer the higher humidity in the drawer). Do not wash before eating, as that can cause mold.
  • Cut kiwi: store in an airtight container, or wrap in plastic, and it will last a few days in the fridge. Kiwi will not oxidize when cut (it won't turn brown).

Nutrition & benefits

1 Kiwi

Nutrition Facts
1 Kiwi
Amount per Serving
Calories
56
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
1
g
2
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Sodium
 
3
mg
0
%
Potassium
 
284
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
 
13
g
4
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
8
g
9
%
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
 
79
IU
2
%
Vitamin C
 
84
mg
102
%
Calcium
 
31
mg
3
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
  • Sugar: 1 kiwi has about the same amount of sugar (8g) as a mandarin (aka clementine) For comparison:
    • Apple: 19g
    • Banana: 14g
    • Orange: 12g
  • Vitamin K: Kiwi is a high fruit source of vitamin K (which helps prevent osteoporosis)
    • 1 kiwi contains about 25% of the recommended daily value (DV) of Vitamin K
    • Blackberries are the next highest fruit source, with 12% DRV for ½ a cup
    • Kale, on the other hand is over 400% of your DV
  • Vitamin C: 1 kiwi, as little as they are, contains your entire recommended daily value of vitamin C
  • Fiber: 1 kiwi contains about as much fiber as 1 cup of cooked oatmeal

Tenderize meat with kiwi

Kiwi tenderizes meat without imparting flavor. The enzyme found in kiwis (actinidin) is very effective without making the meat mushy (which can happen with the bromelain enzyme in pineapple).

There aren't an abundance of kiwi-marinades yet, but they are on the rise. Try it for seafood, steak, or Korean BBQ.

GugaFoods tested five different marinades on steak, including kiwi, papaya, onion, honey, and baking powder. They evaluate the steaks based on flavor and tenderness (which starts at time 5:45)

Recipes

Since kiwi are available year-round at high quality, I've included recipes for the whole year. Some are best suited for summer (like kiwi-strawberry tartlets) when summer produce is in season, others are good for the rest of the year (like korean bulgogi).

Main dishes

Korean beef bulgogi (marinated with kiwi) recipe by Jo Cooks
Korean beef bulgogi (marinated with kiwi)
Crab cake sliders with pineapple-kiwi salsa recipe by How Sweet Eats
Crab cake sliders with pineapple-kiwi salsa
Roasted (or grilled) salmon with kiwi salsa recipe by The View from Great Island
Roasted (or grilled) salmon with kiwi salsa
Jerked sriracha roast pork tacos with kiwi salsa verde recipe by Lady & Pups
Jerked sriracha roast pork tacos with kiwi salsa verde
Kiwi avocado salsa over rare tuna steak recipe by The Healthy Foodie
Kiwi avocado salsa over rare tuna steak
Marinated steaks with kiwi relish over farro recipe by Publix Grocery
Marinated steaks with kiwi relish over farro

Sides & snacks

Hawaiian tequila chicken salad with pineapple vinaigrette by Half Baked Harvest
Hawaiian tequila chicken salad with pineapple vinaigrette
Charred pineapple salad recipe by The Floating Kitchen from The Pretty Dish cookbook
Charred pineapple salad
Fall fruit salad with pumpkin spice recipe by Foxes Love Lemons
Fall fruit salad with pumpkin spice
Tropical summer caprese salad recipe by Floating Kitchen
Tropical summer caprese salad
Green smoothie bowl recipe by Kitchen Confidante
Green smoothie bowl
Winter fruit salad with lemon poppy seed dressing recipe by Cooking Classy
Winter fruit salad with lemon poppy seed dressing
Kiwi salsa with avocado & pomegranate by Simply Recipes
Kiwi salsa with avocado & pomegranate
Kiwi yogurt with mini simit grissini recipe by Use Your Noodles
Kiwi yogurt with mini simit grissini
Tropical fruit roll ups recipe by Cotter Crunch
Tropical fruit roll ups

Dessert

Strawberry kiwi tartlets recipe by Love & Olive Oil
Strawberry kiwi tartlets
Watermelon popsicles recipe by Cooking Classy
Watermelon popsicles
Sugar cookie fruit pizzas recipe by Cooking Classy
Sugar cookie fruit pizzas
Chocolate covered kiwi pops recipe by Laura Fuentes
Chocolate covered kiwi pops
Kiwi lime sorbet recipe by Broma Bakery
Kiwi lime sorbet
Kiwi cupcakes recipe by The First Year
Kiwi cupcakes
Tahini bundt cake with kiwi glaze recipe by Use Your Noodles
Tahini bundt cake with kiwi glaze
Kiwi lime loaf cake with yogurt by Sugar Salted
Kiwi lime loaf cake with yogurt

Drinks

DIY Flavored bellinis by G-Free Foodie
DIY Flavored bellinis
Strawberry kiwi smoothie recipe by Whitney Bond
Strawberry kiwi smoothie
Strawberry kiwi lemonade recipe by Le Creme de la Crumb
Strawberry kiwi lemonade
Honeydew and kiwi white sangria recipe by Floating Kitchen
Honeydew and kiwi white sangria
Kiwi margaritas recipe by How Sweet Eats
Kiwi margaritas
Kiwi aqua fresca recipe by Averie Cooks
Kiwi aqua fresca

Sources

  • Kiwi harvest practices (and other growing information) from Pacific Northwest Extension (pdf)
  • Kiwi varieties and growing in the Midwest, from Ohio State University Extension

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I do a lot of research about produce to figure out why some fruits & veggies taste good and others bland. I also dig into the science of why some recipes work and others don't. No question goes unanswered, and I'm here to share the results with you.

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