Seasonal Summer Produce
Posted on July 22, 2020 at 9:29 am | General Wellness | simplynutrition
Shopping local is a fun way to encourage your family to eat healthier, choose fresh produce and help support local farmers!
Make nutrition fun by taking your family to your local Farmer’s market. By shopping local you have the opportunity to try the freshest in season fruits and veggies! There is always fun in taking kids to a farm’s market and letting them explore the produce of the seasons! Letting your child choose their own fruits and veggies is a great way to encourage healthy eating habits and teach them where these delicious foods come from. It also allows your family to try new produce throughout the year as the seasons change. Challenge yourself to try something new and incorporate it into a new recipe. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. You can always add new fruits and veggies to any meal!
Do you know which fruits and veggies are fresh and delicious this summer?!
Summertime is the best time to explore some of the juiciest melons! In this Carolina heat we all can use a refreshing treat! It is also a great time to pick some deliciously ripe berries and apples. Cucumbers are also in season this summer. Try adding them to a refreshing drink, give some crunch to your salad, or eat them as a snack! Speaking of refreshing, lemons and limes are another wonderful addition.
Looking for a new veggie to pair with dinner? Now is the best time to pick some peppers, season some summer squash and roast some fresh zucchini. And for all the avocado lovers out there, summer is a great time to make some fresh guac or avocado toast! There are so many juicy, refreshing, crunchy fruits and veggies to include into your summer menu. So grab a basket, expand your horizons, and help support our local markets!
Benefits of shopping locally at a Farmer’s Market:
- Produce is fresher, which means it tastes better, too! The produce doesn’t have to travel miles to get to your plate, so it’s fresher and tastier. This makes it easier to eat more colorful, phytochemical-rich fruits & vegetables to keep your body happy and healthy.
- You’re putting money back in to your community and local economy. You’re helping your local neighbors, friends, and families by purchasing from them and supporting their business. And most importantly, it helps support your local farmers, so they can continue to grow fresh, delicious food for your community.
- It’s a great way to get kids involved in trying more fruits & vegetables! Kids are much more likely to try a new food if they are involved in the process. Encourage them to pick out a fruit or veggie they’ve never tried before.
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits are accepted at some farmers markets. This is a great way to buy more healthy fruits and vegetables on a budget. Some will even double your food stamp dollars by encouraging you to buy fresh produce!
- It’s good for the environment. If produce doesn’t have to travel thousands of miles to get to your plate, that saves money, CO2 gas emissions, and more.
So, what’s in season during summer?
And lastly, try our favorite summer recipe – Watermelon Salad:
