It's springtime and that means some of the year's best produce is about to be delivered to your supermarket. Spring means more colors and more interesting fruits and vegetables. It can also mean extra nutrients for your whole family with very little extra work.

BUYING PRODUCE IN SEASON makes so much sense. When you buy produce which is not in season, it has to be shipped from where it is in season -- typically a location closer to the equator or from a hot house, which has a controlled environment. In addition, the produce has to be picked before it's ripe, so you lose a bit of flavor and nutritional value.

Produce in season tastes better. It's grown domestically so it is closer to where you buy it and it's less expensive (because of the lowered transportation costs). You can save anywhere from 10-50 percent. Twenty years ago, the supermarket produce section had about 50 items. Today they have 300 to 400 items! Ethnic or exotic produce is one of the fastest-growing produce sections of the supermarket. As Americans are more exposed to different cultures, they have become more willing to experiment with new fruits and vegetables. Supermarkets also are doing a better job of sampling their produce to their customers.

While Americans are more open to trying different produce, we still are not eating enough of them. Most doctors and dieticians recommend eating about 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day but the average American is eating only 3.2 servings a day. Fresh fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, nutrients, and fiber and have a lot of antioxidants properties.

Let’s get started with the 101 on some of the more exotic spring pickins:

Feijoas
Golden solo sunrise papaya
Kumquats
Lychee
Tamarillo
Mangos
Eggplant
Sugar snap peas
Asparagus
Tomatoes
Bell peppers
Brussel sprouts
Cantaloupe

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More from Phil Lempert:

• Healthy ideas for after-school snacks
• Bring the kids grocery shopping!
• Exotic Produce 101