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Article about best dates to eat:
This fruit is grown on date palm trees and can be eaten as a snack, in sandwiches and granola, or added to marinades, sauces, and baked goods. How to Eat Dates, a Versatile Fruit That Swings Sweet and Savory. Date experts share how to enjoy this ancient marvel in unexpected ways.

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Randi Gollin is a freelance food writer and editor who has been covering food, travel, and fashion for over 20 years. Published on February 14, 2025. What are dates—and why should you give a fig about these natural treats? Eaten on its own, a date is a nutritious nibble that sates sweet tooths. Used in cooking and baking, it's a shapeshifter with transformative powers, effortlessly lending richness and depth to sweet and savory recipes. We connected with date experts to learn more about how to eat this sensational fruit. Rawaan Alkhatib , cook, artist, and author of HOT DATE!: Sweet & Savory Recipes Celebrating the Date, From Party Food to Everyday Feasts Joan Smith , date farmer and founder of Rancho Meladuco Date Farm, in California's Coachella Valley. What Are Dates? Credit: GETTY IMAGES. Dates are the fruit of the date palm tree (botanical name, Phoenix dactylifera ), which thrives in semi-arid desert climates. First cultivated in Mesopotamia, date palms reach back to antiquity, Today, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Morocco are among the world's largest producers. In the U.S., dates are cultivated in parts of California and Arizona. While there are hundreds of varieties, Medjool and Deglet Noor dates are the most popular. Dried vs. Fresh. Dried : Stateside, dates are mostly sold sun-dried, with pits, or pitted. These bite-sized brown morsels have a soft, fibrous texture, wrinkled skin, and concentrated flavor. Fresh : Plump and smooth, fresh dates have a delicate sweetness. They can be chewy, or crunchy, while partially ripened dates in the rutab" stage have a custard-like flesh. Nutritional Benefits. Rich in antioxidants and fiber, dates are a superfood packed with nutrients, including magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, and iron, plus vitamins B6 and K. How to Eat Dates. Dates are more multifaceted than many home cooks may realize. "Dates can be a pre-workout power food, a quick snack, used in endless desserts to add lots of natural sweetness, or used in sweet- and savory-inspired dishes," says Joan Smith, founder and date farmer of Rancho Meladuco Date Farm, in California's Coachella Valley. They're so versatile that cook, artist, and writer Rawaan Alkhatib, made them the springboard for her date-centric cookbook, HOT DATE! "I grew up in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, where dates are a totally ubiquitous part of culinary culture," she explains. Her cookbook showcases umpteen ways to devour them. "Many people think of dates as just being sweet, but they have their own flavor—caramel and salt and sometimes a little tang," Alkhatib says. Here, Alkhatib and Smith share ideas for enjoying this complex fruit. Appetizers. Pimento cheese : Regionally- or culturally inspired dishes are a fount of date inspiration for Smith. A trip to South Carolina sparked the mashup of pimento cheese dip-stuffed dates topped with Ritz crackers. Classic bites : Dates with nut butter, bacon, or blue cheese are iconic pairings for good reason, Smith says. Sample our Devils on Horseback, a runaway party favorite. Pork dumplings : Smith works with recipe developer Julia Heffelfinger to devise novel preparations, like "totally out of the box" dates with a pork wonton filling and chili crisp. Trade dates for wontons in our Inside-Out Pork Dumplings. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Breakfast sandwiches : Smith tops sausage and egg breakfast sandwiches with smashed dates, bridging sweet and savory flavors. Grilled cheese : Smashed dates, prosciutto, and cheddar sandwiches make lunchtime special. Another cheesy twist: Dates scattered over our Prosciutto Mozzarella Pizza. Bulgar : Chopped dates add pops of sweetness to Alkhatib's bulgar mujaddara, a comfort food dish of lentils, caramelized onions, and cumin-scented bulgar. Roast chicken : Smith makes roast chicken with lemon, olive oil, rosemary, and, surprise, sliced dates. Add them to our Roast Chicken With Herbs. Sauces : Alkhatib enriches her barbecue sauce with dates—and uses them as a flavor hack in tomato-based sauces. "It adds some of the caramelized sweetness you expect from a long-cooked sauce that's had time to reduce on the stove," Alkhatib explains. Give it a go with our Simple Tomato Sauce. Sweets. Credit: Sidney Bensimon. Milkshake : Blending ice cream, milk, and Medjool dates, Alkhatib's Palm Springs date shake celebrates a Coachella Valley classic. Smith turns the signature sip into no-churn ice cream. Chocolate desserts : Dates and chocolate is a sublime pairing that takes center stage in Alkhatib's silky chocolate date truffles. But they're equally intriguing as a flavor booster. "I love to use dates in chocolate dishes because they disappear into the background to do mysterious and delicious things," she says. Our Dark Chocolate-Walnut Date Bar illustrates the point perfectly. "Cinnamon, lime, peach, and ginger all make for great flavor marriages with dates in baking and sweets," Smith says. Baked fruit : Another magic trick of Alkhatib's is to add dates to baked fruit desserts, amping up out-of-season, or frozen fruit. "Think of it as the sweet version of adding anchovies to a sauce or stew—imperceptible, but vitally flavor-enhancing," Date Sugar. Date sugar, made from dehydrated, ground dates, lends caramel overtones, body, and texture to baked goods, Alkhatib says. In dry rubs, it tenderizes and flavors meat, like her rib-eye steak with a salt and date sugar rub. She also combines it with salt, red pepper flakes, whole cumin, and fennel seeds, then rubs it on lamb chops. "Let them rest overnight then grill or sear on the stovetop. And thank me later!" Date Syrup. Date syrup (aka date molasses) is central to Alkhatib's repertoire, too. Tahini combos : In dibs wa tahini, a Middle Eastern breakfast dish, tahini, and date molasses are swirled together and eaten with pita bread. "It has the same salty-sweet, nostalgic appeal as a PB&J," she says. Marinades : Alkhatib leans on date molasses for marinades. Together, garlic, lemon zest, herbs, and date molasses become a "marvelously glossy lacquer" for roast chicken, pan-seared halloumi, or mushrooms. Glazes : Thinned with orange juice or rosewater, it can be used to soak a cake or as the foundation for royal icing. How Long Dates Last. Naturally anti-microbial, dates keep for months at room temperature and about a year in the fridge's crisper drawer—though Smith says they can be eaten long after that. Frozen, they last for around three years. "Dates are a naturally dry fruit and because of their high sugar and low moisture, considered naturally preserving," Smith says. Follow us to see more of our stories on Google. Revival : If a date's less smooshy than you'd like, Smith suggests a quick zap in the microwave or par-boiling them for 15 to 45 seconds. Explore more: Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Related Articles. The Benefits of Dates, One of Nature’s Sweetest Superfoods. 6 of the Best Dried Fruits to Eat, According to Nutritionists. Vanilla Chia Pudding. 5 hrs 15 mins. The Health Benefits of Prunes—a Powerful Superfood That Deserves a Second Chance. Date-Pecan Pie. How to Eat Prunes 10 Ways, From Sweetening BBQ Sauce to Replacing Sugar. 9 of the Best Fruits to Eat, According to Nutritionists. What Are Pineberries? Meet the White Strawberry That Tastes Like Pineapple. How to Eat Guava the Right Way, According to Chefs. The Benefits of Grapes—Plus How to Enjoy This Small-but-Mighty Fruit. Flourless Chocolate-Date Cake With Salted Caramel Glaze. 2 hrs 40 mins. What Is a Cherimoya? 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