National Tomato Day for the Win!

by Christina Meyer-Jax, Tastemaker in Residence

Photo by Zoltan Tasi on Unsplash

There are certain foods that fire me up for warm weather eating, and the versatile and healthy tomato is at the top on my list. On April 6th this awesome fruit (yes technically not a vegetable), enjoys its time to shine with National Tomato Day!

One of my favorite food activities is picking cherry tomatoes in my garden, still warm from the summer sun. But that season is short here in the northland, so I’m grateful for my local food partner Bushel Boy Farms in Owatonna, MN that provides greenhouse tomatoes for a little taste of summer all year long.

As a dietitian I’m completely in love with the many health benefits that tomatoes provide. In fact, “Tomatoes are the most important non-starchy vegetable in the American diet,” according to the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Fresh tomatoes are naturally low in calories, fat, sugar, and sodium. Tomatoes are also nutrient dense and the biggest dietary source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant offering a variety of positive health benefits.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy tomatoes is in egg dishes. They complement each other in savory flavors, but also provide a nice lower carbohydrate and higher protein ratio overall.

So to celebrate the day I’m sharing a family favorite tomato recipe: Savory Roasted Tomato & Polenta & Eggs. I love the flexibility (and easy gourmet look) of this recipe that uses traditional breakfast foods with bright flavors. It’s an ideal dish for many occasions from Sunday brunch, to late night dining. Cheers and enjoy!

*Disclosure: Tomato product ingredient samples for this recipe were provided by Bushel Boy™

Created by Christina Meyer-Jax MS, RDN, LDN