To be eaten raw, guavas need to be very ripe. To enjoy fresh guava, cut it into quarters, remove the seeds (if there are any), peel, and savor. Guavas make an unusual and delicious addition to fruit salads.

Guavas are a popular featured ingredient in jams, preserves, and sauces. These products, as well as tinned whole guavas and guava juice are, available in many food markets.

Latin markets and some specialty gourmet supermarkets sell guava paste. This is a combination of guava pulp, sugar, pectin, and citric acid that is cooked together slowly almost to a gel. It comes in individually wrapped bars that are firm enough to slice and can be served as a sweet snack or with cheese or ice cream for dessert.