How to Enjoy Summer Vegetables and Fruit

Summer vegetables and fruit are important food sources for a healthy lifestyle, and when summer arrives they offer fresh and delicious options. There are many ways to enjoy them. You may, though, want some tips on how to eat summer vegetables and fruit and which dishes to add them to.

How Are Summer Vegetables and Fruit Eaten?

The many lovely vegetables and fruits of summer can be enjoyed in different ways. The options are as follows:

Add Them to Salads

Fresh, tasty vegetables arrive with summer. Salads are a perfect home for summer vegetables and fruit. You can add summer produce such as tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, sweetcorn, beetroot, carrot, red onion, watermelon, strawberries and cherry tomatoes to your salads. It makes a healthy and delicious choice.

Juice Them

When it gets hot in summer, the risk of dehydration rises, so it is important to drink plenty of water. As well as water, fruit juices and vegetable juices can be enjoyed. For example, you can squeeze the juice of summer fruit and vegetables such as orange, grapefruit, lemon, strawberries, watermelon, tomato and carrot to make fresh drinks.

Remember, though, that fluids other than water do not replace your water needs. It is best to drink these on top of your daily water intake.

Add Them to Ice Cream

Ice cream is one of the most loved summer desserts, and it is possible to add healthy flavours to it. For example, you can add summer fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and melon for a delicious taste.

Mix Them with Oats

Oats are a wholesome breakfast choice for summer. You can prepare a healthy breakfast by adding fresh summer vegetables and fruit to oats. For example, you can mix fruits such as banana, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, melon and cherry tomatoes with your oats.

Grill Them

Grilling in summer is a delicious and healthy choice. Grilling makes vegetables and fruit into a lighter dish and helps keep the vitamins and minerals that could be lost in other cooking methods. For example, you can grill summer vegetables and fruit such as courgette, aubergine, peppers, tomatoes, sweetcorn, pineapple and mango for a tasty and healthy dish.

Make a Smoothie

A smoothie is one of the nicest drinks you can have in the summer months. Smoothies made with fresh summer vegetables and fruit are a tasty and nourishing choice. For example, you can make a smoothie with banana, strawberries, pineapple, mango, spinach, rocket, mint and parsley.

Eat Out

Eating out in the summer heat is an enjoyable experience. In restaurants, cafes, parks, picnic spots and beaches, you can find healthy and delicious dishes such as fresh fruit salads, sandwiches, grills and smoothies.

In short, summer vegetables and fruit are important food sources for a healthy and enjoyable life. The tips above show different ways of enjoying summer produce, and with them you can prepare healthy and delicious meals through the summer months.

How to Store Summer Vegetables and Fruit

Ways of storing vegetables and fruit are as follows:

• Refrigerator storage: Some summer fruit and vegetables can be kept fresh for longer in the fridge. This method suits green beans, cucumber, sweetcorn, cherries, grapes, peaches, apricots and plums. It is important to wash and dry them before storing, and then keep them in airtight containers.
• Freezing: Freezing summer vegetables and fruit is a great option for eating them later. Produce such as bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, melon, watermelon, tomatoes, aubergines, peppers and courgettes can be frozen. Before freezing, fruit and vegetables should be cleaned, sliced and put in a bag to be stored in the freezer.
• Drying: Drying is an ideal method for storing summer fruit and vegetables for a long time. Produce such as apricots, peaches, pears, tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and courgettes can be dried.
• Tinning (canning): Some summer vegetables and fruit stay fresh for longer when preserved in tins. This method suits vegetables such as tomatoes, aubergines and peppers. Storing them in an airtight container can help prevent spoilage.

This article is for general information only; please consult your doctor and dietitian about your own situation.