Here is your summer produce guide. It’s the juiciest part of the year when local tomatoes, green beans, and stone fruit are flooding shelves everywhere from your local farm stand to Costco.
Why is it important to eat seasonally?
Tips for shopping for summer produce
Here are a few ideas to slip into your mental market basket.
Seasonal summer fruits
It’s a big country with lots of climates and micro-climates. Your summer produce finds will vary by region. As summer starts, typically spring fruits like rhubarb will be hanging around and by the end of August, you will start to find fall fare like pears. In general look for:
ApricotsBlackberriesBlueberriesCantaloupes, along with local like Ananas or Persian melonsCherriesHoneydew melonsNectarinesPeachesPlums and pluots, which are apricot-plum hybridsRaspberriesStrawberriesWatermelon
Seasonal summer vegetables
Some season veggies to watch for:
ArugulaAvocadosBasil, and lots of other garden herbs like rosemary, sorrel, and sageBeans -green, pole, lima beans, fava, and moreBeetsBroccoliCarrotsCabbageCauliflowerCucumbersCornEggplantSalad lettuces of all sorts from watercress to RomaineOkraPeas, of all sorts, including English and sugar snap peasPeppers, from sweet red bell peppers to the hot varieties that can be tried RadishesSummer squash of all varieties from squash blossoms to crooked neck, pattypan,, and zucchiniTurnips
Here are some favorite summer produce recipes
Strawberry ParfaitMango Papaya SmoothieAvocado Caprese SaladWatermelon Blueberry SaladStrawberry Rhubarb CrispWatermelon PizzaFruit SaladChickpea SaladFruit PizzaCream Cheese Fruit Dip with FruitsCucumber Sushi RollRatatouille Basil Peach Salad
Frequently asked questions
Summer is a great time to experiment with new fruits and vegetables at their peak of flavor. If you are looking for what produce is in season in your region, consult this cool app and website. And don’t forget to check out my other seasonal guides like my Spring Produce Guide and Fall Produce Guide.
For more cooking guides
How to Stock your PantryHow to Stock a FreezerHow to Cook with Canned Tomatoes16 Pantry Meal Ideas15 Easy No Bake Desserts10 Recipes with Vegetable BrothDaily Breakfast Ideas to Stay Healthy
If you found this summer produce guide useful, we’d love to hear from you! And if you snapped some shots of any of these tips and tricks, please share it on Instagram so we can repost on my stories!
