Summer Recipe Ideas for Your Next Produce Haul

One of the great parts of summer is all the in-season produce! Not only is buying seasonally important for being a more sustainable eater, but it generally tastes better and is less expensive too! 

Let’s talk about the types of produce in season during the summer and healthy ways to enjoy them. 

Benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables

But first, let’s review why it’s beneficial to eat more fruits and veggies.

Fruits and vegetables are important sources of essential vitamins, as well as disease-fighting antioxidants and heart-healthy fiber.

Plus, vegetables, in particular, are a low-calorie way to add more bulk to your meals.

Studies have found that eating more fruits and vegetables is important not just for your physical health but for your mental health as well.

Which fruits and veggies are in-season during the summer months?

Here are some fruits and vegetables you’re likely to find in season over the summer.

Fruits:

• Apricots
• Beets
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe 
• Cherries
• Figs
• Gooseberries
• Grapes
• Huckleberries
• Limes
• Mangoes
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Plums
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Tomatillos 
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon

Vegetables:

• Basil 
• Bell peppers
• Carrots
• Chard
• Chiles
• Collard greens
• Corn 
• Cucumber
• Eggplant 
• Green beans
• Okra
• Peas
• Raddishio 
• Radishes 
• Zucchini and yellow squash 

Just keep in mind that what’s in season can also vary by the part of the country you live in. To see what’s in season for your state each month, check out SeasonalFoodGuide.org.

Sweet and savory ways to use in-season produce this summer

Whether you’re stocking up at the store or growing your own, let’s discuss ways to enjoy more fruits and vegetables this summer. 

Vegetable Recipes 

Personally, my favorite way to enjoy summer veggies is to toss them in a little avocado oil, salt, and pepper and then grill them up. There’s just nothing quite as good as grilled vegetables! 

But, for those times when you want some variation, here are healthy sweet, and savory ways to put those summer vegetables to good use:

Savory 

• Make a colorful ratatouille with your zucchini, summer squash, eggplants, and tomatoes. 
• Spice up taco night with grilled salsas (perfect for using summer vegetables and fruits)! 
• Swap out tortilla chips with mini bell peppers for these low-carb nachos. 
• Add your latest vegetable finds to mix-and-match burrito bowls or nourishing veggie bowls with an addicting lemon ginger sauce. 
• Make date night fancy with this grilled zucchini salad or summer corn succotash, both created by Master chef Andy Husbands. 
• Try your hand at a healthier version of bhindi masala – a traditional Indian okra dish. 
• Shuck your summer corn to make this healthy Mexican street corn salad. 
• Mix plain Greek yogurt with a ranch seasoning packet for an easy dip to pair with raw peppers, snap peas, cucumbers, and carrots. 

Sweet

• Thinly slice radishes, toss with olive oil, cinnamon, and sugar, then bake until crispy.
• Make zucchini muffins or gluten-free zucchini bread.
• Pulse shredded carrots with dates and oats for these no-bake carrot cake bites.
• Satisfy your chocolate cravings with zucchini brownies. 
• Combine basil with Greek yogurt and strawberries to make homemade frozen yogurt. 

Fruit Recipes 

Sweet

• Add berries, cherries, or peach slices to your overnight oats and chia seed puddings.
• Make your own fruit popsicles. 
• Whip up homemade immune-boosting beverages or smoothies. 
• Make this watermelon sangria your go-to cocktail of the summer. 
• Swap out traditional fruit pies with a simpler peach galette.
• Use berries and any other sliced fruits as a colorful topping for this gluten free fruit tart.
• Slice up strawberries for an easy topping to these lightened up cheesecake squares. 
• Roast cherries and use them as a topping for yogurt, oatmeal, or nice cream. 
• Have trouble with portion control? Make single-serving healthier fruit crisps. 

Savory

• Use fresh tomatoes in this light and healthy pasta puttanesca or grill them along with zucchini for a simple veggie pasta dish. 
• Make this refreshing watermelon and fennel salad at your next cookout or for brunch on the weekend. 
• Shred beets with a food processor and make these veggie beet burgers. 
• Grill nectarines or peaches and add on top of chicken or your favorite salad. 
• Use peaches to add some sweetness to chicken salad. 
• Change up pizza night with this blackberry basil pizza recipe. 

Consider a CSA box 

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Essentially, CSA boxes are like a subscription box to a local farmer. Once a month, the farm sends you a box, or you go to a set location to pick it up.

Depending on the farm, you’ll get a box filled with freshly harvested produce and possibly even eggs, dairy products, and grains. 

Some farms do a seasonal summer subscription, while others offer longer-term subscriptions. 

Besides supporting local farmers, you also benefit from not having to worry about deciding which vegetables to buy. Instead, you can use what’s in your box to help you plan weekly meals. 

You can find a CSA near you over on LocalHarvest.org.

The bottom line 

If you’re having trouble getting your servings of fruits and vegetables in each day, summer is a great time to start making progress!

Be sure to use your Lose It! app to help keep you on track with eating more produce. 

Have a favorite healthy summer recipe that uses seasonal produce? Share in the comments below!