Everything about summer makes you want to retreat to a tropical oasis with sun, sand, palm trees and plenty of fresh and exotic fruits. If you’re sick of snacking on the same things, give a fresh papaya a try. Bright and beautiful in color, papaya should smell subtly sweet and offer a faint floral aroma (if you know how to pick them). And the taste? Comparable to a fig and melon fusion.

Moreover, papaya has quite a bit of health benefits with high levels of vitamin C, vitamin A, cardiovascular health benefits, blood strengthening and anti-inflammatory properties, just to name a few.

Here are several ways to put a papaya spin on your favorite warm-weather snacks.