Happy summer everyone!

I don’t know about you, but I love the summer months. There’s always so much to do. Whether you like to head to the lake, bike the trails, play golf, or take in some outdoor concerts, summer sure does offer a variety of things to do.

Speaking of variety…

Summer is a great time to add variety to your meals. During the summer months produce is abundant. There’s always more to choose from and the fruit and vegetables just plain taste better and are less expensive. That’s because seasonal food doesn’t need to be transported far. Often times when produce is shipped, it is picked early and still needs to ripen. Chemicals may be used to enhance the ripening process and to assure they can be kept for a longer periods of time. Fresh produce on the other hand, doesn’t necessarily have all those chemicals and they are much better for you.

Many grocery stores buy from local farmers during the summer months too, so there’s more fresh fruit and vegetables to choose from. There’s also plenty of farmers markets around where you can connect with the community, grab something garden-fresh for dinner and buy from farmers in the area. What’s more, some people belong to Community Supported Agriculture groups (CSAs), which allow them to buy directly from a local farmers. And…you can’t beat getting a weekly box of fresh produce during the summer months. Gardening is another great way to reap the health benefits of summer. My mouth is watering just thinking about some juicy watermelon and fresh sweet corn.

Summer foods such as watermelon and cucumbers are considered cooling foods and help keep your body hydrated when it is hot. Lettuce, kale and peppers contain nutrients that provide energy and help keep you going, so you can enjoy a walk after work or an evening run or bike ride.

Tomatoes, carrots, sweet peas and beans are great for summer-time meals and are easy to prepare, so why not take advantage of the variety and cook a little more? Home-cooking doesn’t have to be hard or complicated and when you cook yourself, you are more likely to eat healthier.

Enjoy the plentiful tastes of summer.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

P. S. If you are interested in reading more about healthful eating and living a healthy lifestyle, you might want to check out my book, Wholey Cow A Simple Guide To Eating And Living. Click here to learn more or purchase.