Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

Plums

Department of Defense fresh fruits and vegetables fact sheet for plums.

Product Description

Round or oblong shaped fruits with flavors ranging from sweet to acidic, have a smooth red skin with different variations of darkness.

Peak Growing Season

California growing seasons of plums lasts from May to December, with the peak growth time being June to August.

Uses

Plums can be eaten out-of-hand, sliced, or used in foods such as jams.

Preparation

Plums bruise easily so handle with care, rinse plums with cool water and dry before serving.

Storage

Allow plums to ripen at room temperatures (55-70 degrees Fahrenheit), once soft store in refrigerator at 32 degrees Fahrenheit in single layers as not to bruise them.

Best if Used By

Best used once ripened.  When storing, plums only last about four days, so best used as soon as possible.

Nutrition Facts

Legend: kcal = kilocalorie; g = gram; mg = milligram; RAE = retinol activity equivalent; IU = international unit

One 3.22 ounce plum (1/2 cup) provides:

Calories 38 kcal
Protein 0.58 g
Fat 0.23 g
Carbohydrates 9.42 g
Dietary Fiber 1.2 g
Sugars 8.18 g
Calcium 5 mg
Iron 0.14 mg
Magnesium 6 mg
Phosphorus 13 mg
Potassium 130 mg
Sodium 0 mg
Zinc 0.08 mg

Sources of Information

Questions:   Food Distribution Program | FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov
Last Reviewed: Thursday, October 02, 2025
Related Content
  • DoD Fact Sheets
    Department of Defense (DoD) fresh fruits and vegetables fact sheets.
Recently Posted in Nutrition

  • Salad Bars in the School Nutrition Programs (added 15-Jan-2026)
    Management Bulletin SNP-02-2026 clarifies that program operators will incur fiscal action for meal pattern violations when there are missing meal components or missing production records.
  • Waiver for Non-congregate Meals During Ramadan (added 14-Jan-2026)
    The Waiver for Non-congregate Meals During Ramadan allows approved school food authorities to offer non-congregate meals to students fasting during Ramadan.
  • Salad Bars in the School Nutrition Programs (added 14-Jan-2026)
    This management bulletin clarifies that program operators will incur fiscal action for meal pattern violations when there are missing meal components or missing production records.
  • Availability of the 2026-27 Breakfast Grant (added 08-Jan-2026)
    The School Breakfast Program (SBP) and Summer Meal Programs (SMP) Start-up and Expansion Grants, administered by the California Department of Education, provide schools with funding to start-up or expand their SBP and SMP.
  • 2025 Turnip the Beet Award Nominations (added 06-Jan-2026)
    2025 Turnip the Beet Award Nominations are due by January 9, 2026.