Growing up in Oklahoma, I spent my summers outdoors, coated in sunscreen and bug spray. My favorite days were when my friends and I would find wild blackberry bushes growing along the roads. Back then, I wasn’t concerned about getting my two servings of fruit a day or choosing those blackberries because they were organic. I ate those blackberries because they were delicious – nothing more, nothing less.
Summer is the perfect time to jump-start your healthy journey.
Why, you ask?
Because nothing tastes as refreshing as biting into a watermelon or a crisp salad on a hot day. Summer is the one time a year we get to be surrounded by farm-fresh produce, juicy Porter peaches, and vine-ripened tomatoes from neighbors’ backyards.
These delicious and easy summer fruits and veggies are available on every street corner (and at your local farmers markets!), which allows you the freedom to flash back to your childhood. It takes you back to a time when healthy choices were easy because they were fun, like when my friends and I spent hours picking blackberries off the bushes along country roads.
This blog is dedicated to seven seasonal fruits and veggies to enjoy this summer, plus a couple of recipes for each to get you started.
7 Easy Fruits and Veggies to Try this Summmer
Tomatoes
Tomatoes have long been my mother’s favorite thing to grow in our garden, and they are available at every farmers market throughout Oklahoma.
Slice them onto burgers and sandwiches, toss them into easy no-cook pasta salad recipes, or enjoy them fresh with a sprinkle of salt. Pair tomatoes from the farmers market with locally grown basil for the perfect summertime appetizer, or blend them with extra olive oil and garlic for an easy and refreshing homemade pasta sauce!
Five Layer Fiesta Dip
Need something to bring to a grill-out? Look no farther than this easy, healthy recipe!
Cheesy Tomato Bake
A quick and tasty tomato and cheddar tart with a crisp crust, zesty mustard, and Italian herbs that’s perfect for any meal.
Cucumbers
Ever heard the phrase “cool as a cucumber”? Cucumbers are 99% water, meaning you can stay hydrated and cool on hot summer days. Slice them into no-cook salads and add to your sandwiches for a refreshing crunch, like in our curried egg salad cucumber sandwiches.
You can even add them to your water for extra flavor!
Curried Egg Salad Cucumber Sandwiches
A tasty and creamy curried egg salad with a hint of sweetness from raisins, served on whole-wheat toast with fresh cucumber and crisp lettuce.
Summer Cucumber Dill Salad
This crisp and refreshing salad tossed with cucumbers, tomatoes, fresh dill, and a zesty lemon dressing makes a light and flavorful side dish.
Berries
I look forward to berry season all year long: strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries are perfect for topping yogurt, enjoying them by themselves for a healthy snack, or adding to no-cook desserts like our strawberry basil popsicles. They also make the perfect picnic-friendly addition to a charcuterie board!
Strawberry Basil Popsicles
These refreshing strawberry popsicles blend fruit, honey, and fresh herbs for a naturally sweet treat that’s perfect for hot summer days.
Strawberry Tart
In my opinion, tarts are the summertime version of pies: they’re light and refreshing, with a buttery, flaky crust that complements the flavors of fresh berries perfectly.
Vanilla Blueberry Muffins
When the kids are home from school, chances are they will need something quick and easy to grab from the kitchen. These muffins are healthy enough to pair with breakfast and sweet enough to keep them coming back for more!
Corn
I grew up in a town with an annual summertime Green Corn Festival – believe me when I tell you Oklahoma-grown corn is worth the hype. Boil it, grill it, or cut it off the cob and toss it into a summer salad. Corn is the ultimate outdoor-friendly addition to your meal, so at the next cookout you attend, bring farmers market corn on the cob to toss on the grill – you’ll be invited back.
Elote
This creamy street corn salad is full of bold flavors, fresh veggies, and just the right kick for a perfect summer side.
Bell Peppers
Bell peppers come in nearly every color of the rainbow, and they are crisp, crunchy, and perfect for adding color to any meal. Slice them up and serve with dip, stuff them (like in our Taco Stuffed Peppers recipe), or add them to easy summer meals like pasta salads and wraps.
Sweet Summer Salsa
This recipe features a variety of summer produce, like peppers, peaches, and tomatoes!
Market Fresh Pasta Salad
For a refreshing twist, try swapping the basil and oregano with fresh mint to change up the flavor.
Watermelon and Cantaloupe
A picnic is simply not complete without watermelon. Fruits like watermelon and cantaloupe are perfect for picnic-friendly meals or for blending into refreshing summer drinks like smoothies or our Watermelon Agua Fresca.
Watermelon Agua Fresca
This refreshing watermelon lime drink is light, tangy, and perfect for cooling off on a hot day.
Fresh Melon Popsicles
Enjoy a cool and healthy snack with these easy-to-make melon and lime popsicles sweetened naturally with honey.
Zucchini
Zucchini is one of the easiest veggies to prepare. You can spiralize it into noodles for simple, no-cook recipes or grill it lightly for an easy side at a cookout. It’s budget-friendly and available at any Oklahoma farmers market.
Lemon Basil Summer Squash
This light and flavorful zucchini and yellow squash ribbon salad tossed with fresh herbs, lemon, garlic, and Parmesan is a quick and healthy side dish.
Zucchini Summer Salad
This salad is satisfying on its own, but you can also pair it with whole-grain crackers for a little extra crunch.
Conclusion
If you’ve been wanting to try out the local farmers market, now is the time! All of these easy summer fruits and veggies are ready and waiting for you, and farmers markets are the one-stop shop to enjoy the best of summer and support your local community.
Did you bring home a vegetable you are not sure what to do with? Search by fruit or vegetable on our website, and find farmers market recipes featuring that produce.
This summer, make healthy eating affordable and delicious with these easy summer fruits and veggies. Whether you’re slicing up a juicy watermelon or tossing together a fresh cucumber salad, it’s never been easier to enjoy fresh produce.
Visit a local farmers market, grab some seasonal favorites, and try a new Choose Homemade recipe today!