Ever notice how when you go to the grocery store you can buy anything you want at any time of year?
With the way our food industry works, knowing what fruits and veggies are actually in season can be somewhat confusing.
I remember the good ole days when it was summer and we would go pick blueberries and blackberries and strawberries and my mom would make cobbler and jam.
Now you can get “fresh” berries any time of year. In some regards, it is awesome because you can have whatever you want whenever you want.
But at the same time YIKES.
What does that mean about where this produce comes from that isn’t actually part of the natural season we are in?
Well, that is a question for another blog and actually could be an entire course in and of itself.
But for now, I want to take a few minutes to share with you what fruits and veggies are actually in season during the summer, and then I want to give you a few ideas about what you can do with them so you can make fast, easy, healthy and tasty meals and treats.
But before I share what fruits and veg are in season, I want to quickly remind you (if you didn’t already know this, now ya do), that the best thing you can do is shop local because you want to get your food as fast as you can from the earth to your fork.
The fresher your produce is, meaning the faster it goes from farm to table, the more nutrients are available for you.
And of course it goes without saying that you want it to all be organic because you want to keep the chemicals in and on your food to a minimum.
So all that being said, let’s dive into what’s actually in season this summer and a few yummy recipes so you know what to prepare and how to use them.
VEGGIES
Asparagus, cucumber, celery, chard, carrot, green bean, radish, lettuce and zucchini.
FRUIT
Strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, cherry, watermelon, peach, nectarine, and pears.
Need some creative ideas to put these things together? Ugh, me too.
I found a few of my fave recipes and wanted to share.
This awesome Raw Veggie Chopped Salad from VEGGIE INSPIRED is delicious. What I like about it is that it doesn’t have lettuce, so you actually can make it as a side dish, and then a day or two later put it over mixed greens and add avocado for a quick and healthy lunch.
And here is a great recipe from Dizzy Busy and Hungry. She makes her Fruit and Vegetable Salad in lettuce cups – so this is a great idea for the 4th of July BBQ and always looks fun for any kind of gathering.
I know it is not always easy to know what the best fruits and veggies are to eat. With food becoming a science project and the availability of anything you want at any time, plus marketing blah blah blah it can often be confusing what is actually healthy.
By sticking to farmers markets and having a relationship with your growers, you will really come to know how your food is being grown and what is the best options to choose for the season.
It will also nourish you in a whole new, unexpected way because you will have a greater connection to your food and the earth and the community.
ENJOY and HAPPY 4th of JULY-ING
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