The first Tuesday in October is National Fruit at Work Day - the perfect excuse to swap out the candy jar for something Ma Nature designed with seeds, juice, pulp, and a whole lot of juicy healthful benefits!
Fruits aren't just sweet treats - they're packed with oddities, science, and stories that make them conversation starters at any breakroom table!
From crisp Apples that give you more energy than coffee, to easy-peel Oranges and Clementines high in Vitamin C, to sweet little Kumquats you can pop whole, these are the ultimate desk-friendly snacks! Add in a perfectly ripe Pear, a handful of Cherries, or a cheerful Banana, and suddenly your 3 p.m. slump feels a whole lot brighter!
This holiday makes the breakroom snack bowl the star of the office! So let's celebrate this fruity holiday with some juicy trivia!
- Fun Fruit Facts For National Fruit At Work Day!
- Crazy Facts About Non-Work-Friendly Fruits
- Priciest Produce!
- Tasty Takeaways
Fun Fruit Facts For National Fruit At Work Day!
Ma Nature really knew what she was doing when she made fruit the original fast food!
Botanically speaking, a fruit is anything with seeds inside a pulp - which means your snack list is bigger than you think. Cucumbers, Pumpkins, Avocados, and Tomatoes? All (technically speaking) are fruit! The word "vegetable" is just a culinary shortcut, while fruits keep the science fun!
Here are some other great fruit to bring to work every day!
- Apples - Eating an Apple can give you more energy than a cup of coffee, thanks to natural sugars paired with slow-digesting fiber! Apples float in water because 25% of their volume is air, which is why bobbing for Apples works. They're also part of the rose family (Rosaceae), making them cousins to Roses, Cherries, and Pears.
- Bananas - A natural antacid that soothes the stomach and contains mood-boosting compounds to help you stay upbeat at work. Bananas also contain a natural chemical that can make people feel happy!
Banana Facts: Bananas are technically a berry, are known individually as 'fingers' and they grow in clusters called 'hands' and are technically a berry, and the plants themselves are considered an herb, not a tree!
There are over 1,000 Banana varieties on Earth, but the commercial market sells a single variety, called the Cavendish. That's why they're threatened to be wiped out by a single fungal disease.
- Figs - Just a half-cup of Figs packs as much calcium as a half-cup of milk - a powerful bone booster in a sweet, chewy bite. They are also fiber-rich snacks that help keep digestion smooth, which can make long workdays more comfortable. Fig Fruits aren't technically fruits but inverted flowers, and they often rely on tiny fig wasps for pollination (though many newer varieties are fig wasp free).
- Strawberries are the only fruit that has seeds on the outside and are botanically an accessory fruit, and an average Strawberry has 200 seeds. Packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, they boost concentration and support your immune system so you can power through busy workdays.
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Blackberries and Raspberries are classified as aggregate fruits because they are a collection of smaller berries clustered together, but a cluster of tiny fruits called drupelets. Packed with antioxidants and fiber, they keep blood sugar steady, helping avoid that mid-afternoon slump.
- Pineapples have enzymes that actually begin to digest you, which is why your mouth feels funny after eating too much fresh Pineapple. But their vitamin C and bromelain enzymes help fight fatigue and support digestion, keeping you energized and focused through long office hours.
- Dates are like Ma nature's candy! Dates are loaded with natural sugars for quick energy, plus fiber, potassium, and antioxidants to keep you fueled and focused. Date palms have been cultivated for over 6,000 years, and archaeologists once sprouted a Date seed that had been buried for nearly 2,000 years - and it grew!
- Cherries are sometimes harvested with helicopters shaking them off trees - faster and gentler than hand-picking. They're also rich in melatonin, which can help regulate sleep, making them a smart snack for recharging after long workdays. Try some tart cherry juice at night for better sleep!
- Mandarins and Tangerines - Easy to peel and share, with a bright citrus scent that can lift the mood in the office. Not to mention all that vitamin C! Mandarins are one of the oldest cultivated Citrus fruits, and nearly every modern orange variety (including Clementines) is a hybrid descendant of them.
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Plums - Naturally sweet and full of vitamin C, they support immune health during cold and flu season. Treat yourself and plant a Cherry Plum Tree for the best of both fruit! Plums are one of the first fruits domesticated by humans, and dried Plums (prunes) were even found in ancient Egyptian tombs. They're also one of the few fruits that can ferment naturally on the tree, turning into a boozy snack if left too long.
- Grapes - Bite-sized, easy to snack on, and full of antioxidants that help reduce stress. Freeze them for a refreshing desk-side treat. Grapes will actually explode if you put two of them close together in a microwave, creating a tiny burst of plasma (mini lightning!) thanks to their skin and water content. However, we don't recommend using the office microwave - or your own at home - to try this.
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Blueberries- Known as a brain food, they improve memory and focus, great for big projects or meetings! They are wonderful superfruits that are perfectly portable. Unlike most fruits, true Blueberries are among the few naturally blue foods in the world, thanks to anthocyanins. Early colonists even used them to make blue and gray dyes for cloth and paint.
- Mango slices - A tropical pick-me-up that boosts mood with vitamin A and natural sugars. Mango's vitamin A supports eye health - perfect for screen-heavy jobs. Mangoes are related to Poison Ivy and Cashews, and their skin contains a compound (urushiol) that can cause mild rashes in sensitive people. Despite that, they're one of the most widely eaten fruits in the world.
- Kiwi - Small but mighty, loaded with vitamin C to keep you sharp and healthy! Try these male and female Kiwi vines to get the best fruit on a gorgeous variegated vine! Kiwis actually have more vitamin C per ounce than Oranges, and they were once called "Chinese Gooseberries" before being renamed in the 20th century for marketing.
- Watermelon - Refreshing, but lugging a 20-pounder into the office and slicing it at your desk might be a productivity killer. Try watermelon cubes or juice in a spill-proof container. It's ultra-hydrating, making it great for afternoon energy slumps when dehydration drags you down.
Crazy Facts About Non-Work-Friendly Fruits
These are not the best for packing in your lunch box, but they have some curiosities and a wide range of health benefits of their own!
- Monty Python had one thing right… Coconuts do migrate (no swallows needed)! Originating in Southeast Asia and Melanesia, prehistoric Coconut seeds dropped into the sea and floated naturally on ocean currents to inhabit Pacific islands, India, and East Africa. Later, with the help of humans, sprouting up in the Caribbean and South America.
Coconuts are technically portable enough for office snacking, however, unless you keep a machete or power drill in your desk drawer, Coconuts are not exactly practical for breaktime. Bring unsweetened coconut water, dried or shredded coconut instead. Coconut water naturally replenishes electrolytes, helping with focus and endurance after long meetings or stressful deadlines.
- The Jackfruit tree produces the largest fruit in the world. And they grow directly off the trunk of the tree! Weighing up to 44 lbs. (20 kg). Rich in fiber and B vitamins, it helps sustain steady energy and focus, making it a surprising productivity booster despite its giant size. They separate into portable meaty sections, once you get past the spikey, sticky peel. They are a great vegan alternative to meat texture in many dishes.
- A popular fruit called Durian, growing on the Durio trees of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, smells like rotten eggs, sweaty socks, or even garbage! Definitely don't bring this one into the office!
However, if you're adventurous, opt for durian chips or frozen durian smoothie packs. They deliver the same nutrient-dense punch of fiber and vitamin C without the infamous odor wafting across the office. Despite its strong smell, it's packed with vitamin C, potassium, and healthy fats that can boost energy, support brain function, and keep you fueled during demanding workdays.
- Miracle Fruit are small, red native of fruits that grow in the tropical forests of West Africa. Containing miraculin (glycoprotein), the fruit makes every bitter or flavorless food taste sweet! Not the best to bring to work, they are a unique curiosity to bring to a company event or a fun team building activity.
- Pomegranates - Skip wrestling with whole fruits - buy pre-packaged arils (the technical name for Pomegranate seeds) in cups (or grow your own for an easy fall harvest!). They're antioxidant powerhouses that help reduce fatigue and inflammation, keeping you sharp at your desk.
- Dragon Fruit - Slice and cube at home, then pack in a container. The vitamin C and fiber boost immunity and digestion, supporting long, focused workdays without the sticky mess. Despite its wild appearance, Dragon Fruit comes from a type of cactus! At night, it produces huge, fragrant white flowers called "moonflowers" that are pollinated by bats and moths.
Priciest Produce!
Japan has perfected the art of luxury fruit - and the price tags show it! You need quite a bonus from work to afford these fancy fruits:
- Japanese Yubari Cantaloupes are the most expensive luxury fruit in the world - two once sold at auction for $23,500.
- How about a Lost Gardens of Heligan Pineapple for the low price of $1,600 each!
- Japanese Ruby Roman Grapes sell for between $8,400 Per Bunch if you can find them. That's because only 24,000 bunches are harvested each year.
- Square Watermelons in Japan sell for between $100 - $800 each
- White Jewel Strawberries can set you back $10 each!
- Sekai-Ichi Apples are huge and go $12 - $21 per Apple because of their rarity
- Specialty Buddha Shaped Pear grown in molds goes for $9 each
Tasty Takeaways
National Fruit at Work Day is more than just a holiday - it's a reason to bring a little sunshine and sweetness to the office!
So pack some extra fruit into the lunch box today, bring in a bag of Clementines to share, surprise a coworker with a shiny Apple, or place a banana "hand" in the breakroom, fruit connects coworkers in the most refreshing way!
Fruit proves its anything but ordinary! So grab some fresh produce for your desk this October, share a quirky fact from this list, and bite into a better workday!
Happy Planting! (and healthy snacking!)
