Mangoes in St. Thomas

It’s that time of year again! Where the island is blooming and filled with color and succulent fruit. If you’re driving down the streets of St. Thomas, you’ll most likely see flourishing mango trees with hundreds of delicious, ready to be eaten fruit. 

Although these trees may look indigenous to the Caribbean, they actually originate from South Asia, where they are eaten as often as the common apple is in the USA. Luckily for all of us in St. Thomas, mango trees thrive in tropical climates. Just because they originate from South Asia doesn't mean that mango trees are new to the islands though. Their seeds have been traded around for many centuries, and found their way to the Caribbean. They are so ingrained in the culture here that it is near impossible to go out to eat and not see something with mango on the menu. 

If you’ve never eaten one of these naturally sweet fruits, then you’re in for a real treat. There are many different types of mangoes (just like apples) that range in textures, sweetness, size, and color. St. Thomas and the rest of the Caribbean have a wide variety of these mangoes. 

For some more information on the different types of mangoes, check out this link below: 

List of Mangoes

Not only are they delicious on their own, they are also a great way to add some big flavor to everyday dishes (that will surely impress your friends). Some easy ways to add mangoes to your breakfast/lunch/dinner are:

Fresh cut mangoes in yogurt 

Bake mangoes into muffins

Add mangoes to your salad for a tangy-sweetness kick

Blend some mango chunks into guacamole 

Add mangoes to salsa 

Sweet and salty pasta salad

Add mango chunks to your ice cream

These are just a few, very simple, but very delicious ways to add mangoes to your everyday life. There’s nothing better than enjoying the sweet taste of mangoes on a hot summer day. Next time you’re visiting a friends house, or throwing a backyard party, try incorporating this tropical flavor to kick your dish up a notch. 

For more mango recipes, check out the link below!

Mango Recipes

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Eco-Friendly Travel Hacks: Packing for the Beach

St. Thomas is a beach lovers dream! If you’re looking to spend a nice, long day at the beach, check out our 5 packing hacks! 

Pack a Ziplock Bag for Electronics 

It’s nice to be able to pack a camera, cellphone, kindle or tablet (and other miscellaneous electronics) for a day at the beach, but if there’s one thing that many of us know too painfully well, it’s that electronics don’t do too well after they get wet. So if you’re planning on taking a few pictures or reading on your kindle at the beach, and still want to take a dip, bring a ziplock bag to store them in when they aren’t in use. 

*Additional Tip: Think about purchasing yourself a waterproof camera! Not only do they take really cool underwater photos, but you won’t have to worry about accidentally dropping your camera/phone in the water.

First Aid Kit

Whether you’re clumsy or coordinated, accidents happen! The beach is a beautiful place, but it also isn’t the most sanitary place to have a fresh cut unbandaged. Bring a small, basic first aid kit to ensure that if you do step on a pointy shell, trip on some rocks, or just simply cut yourself on any sharp object, you’ll have the necessary tools to clean it up and prevent any infections. It’s better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. 

*Additional Tip: Think about bringing aspirin, eye drops, additional sunscreen, and aloe. These items can be incredibly helpful for anyone not looking to leave early due to a painful headache or sand in their eyes. (And sunscreen and aloe are a given. If you see a sunburn coming on, try hanging out in the shade for awhile.) 

Food and Snacks (And Something for Trash) 

It’s easy to work up an appetite when playing around in the sun all day! There may not always be a restaurant or snack bar on the beach, so it’s always a good idea to pack something of your own. Don’t forget to also pack a small bag/container for trash. Even if your intentions are to throw everything away on the beach, it’s easy to accidentally forget and leave trash behind. 

*Additional Tip: Think about packing your food in reusable tupperware. Not only is it more eco-friendly, but when you’re done eating, you can throw all your trash into it! 

Extra Set of Clothes 

Seasoned beach-goers know that this is a must, but it is pretty easy to look passed this one when you’re scrambling to get ready. There is nothing more annoying than wearing a wet bathing suit under your dry clothes or putting back on your sweaty clothes from before. So the moral of the story? Don’t forget to pack an extra set of clothes! 

*Additional tip: Pack a long dress or a robe for changing on beaches where bathrooms aren’t available.

Bring a Refillable Water Bottle

Sitting in the hot, Caribbean sun can make you lose a lot of water… and dehydration is no joke! Always make sure to pack your own water for both practical and environmental reasons. Our little island is, and has been for awhile, working on a sustainable way to recycle. That being said, if you buy a plastic water bottle and throw it away here, it’ll just end up in the landfill (32 square mile island, 50,000 residents, thousands of tourists in a day, you do the math). Let’s do our part on keeping our islands clean by packing our own water bottle and filling up with filtered water prior to going to the beach.

*Additional tip: Don’t just buy any water bottle! Take a moment to do some research to pick the best bottle for you! Here is a great article that can help: http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/how-to-choose-reusable-water-bottles-for-the-whole-family/

Now that you’ve read what we had to say, start packing and have yourself an awesome day at the beach!

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