Healthy Snacks and Recipes That Feature End-of-Summer Produce
Eating locally grown, seasonal produce can be really good for seniors because it tastes amazing and is chock-full of vitamins and minerals which the body needs. Buying local produce is a great way to support your community's business owners, and consuming fresh fruits and vegetables is also a more sustainable option. Below is a list of end-of-summer produce you can get and recipe ideas you can do at home!
End-of-Summer Produce in Indiana
If you or your senior live in South Bend, Elkhart, Goshen, or Mishawaka, then keep in mind that the following fruits and veggies will be in season at the end of summer:
Fruits
- Apples—July to October
- Blackberries—July to August
- Blueberries—July to August
- Cantaloupe—August and September
- Grapes—August and September
- Melons—July to September
- Peaches—July and August
- Pears—August to October
- Plums and Pluots—July and August
- Raspberries—June to August
- Tomatoes—July to October
- Watermelons—August and September
Vegetables
- Arugula—May to September
- Basil—July to September
- Beets—May to September
- Broccoli—July to October
- Brussels Sprouts—August to November
- Cabbage—June to November
- Carrots—May to November
- Cauliflower—August to November
- Celery—August to October
- Chard—May to September
- Cilantro—June to September
- Corn—Mid-June to Mid-August
- Cucumber—July to Mid-October
- Eggplant—July to Mid-October
- Garlic—August to November
- Green Beans—July to September
- Scallions—June to September
- Greens—May to November
- Kale—June to November
- Leeks—August to October
- Lettuce—May to October
- Mushrooms—All year
- Onions—August to October
- Parsley—May to September
- Peas—June to August
- Sweet Peppers—June to September
- Potatoes—July to November
- Pumpkins—September and October
- Radishes—May to October
- Squash—May to October
- Zucchini—July to October
Recipes Using End-of-Summer Produce
If you've picked up some end-of-summer produce at your local farmer's market, there are a number of ways you can enjoy it.
Fruits
Fruits can, of course, be eaten raw. End-of-summer fruits which are locally grown are so delicious that you can't help munching on them every now and then. Place them in a fruit bowl on your dining table or coffee table so that anyone who passes by will be tempted to pick up a healthy snack. However, if you would rather use these end-of-summer fruits to make a snack, here are some ideas:
- Summer Fruit Salad: This fruit salad consists of whatever summer fruits you have at hand, topped with a mixture of orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, orange zest, lemon zest, as well as vanilla. This will give an extra zing of taste to your summer fruits.
- Homemade Ice Cream: With a bit of sugar and some cream, you can turn any end-of-summer fruits like blackberries, blueberries peaches, etc., into a bowl of decadent (but still healthy) homemade ice cream.
- French Fruit Tart: If you've mastered the above recipes which are relatively simple, you can go for something which takes a bit more work, like this French fruit tart with a crust and a pastry cream bed for the fruits.
Vegetables
End-of-summer veggies are quite plentiful in Indiana.
- Salad: You can use the seasonal beets, carrots, celery, cucumber, corn, greens, lettuce, mushrooms, sweet peppers, and even spinach leaves to make a healthy salad, topped off with a dressing of your choice.
- Stir-Fry: You can also make a great stir-fry with sweet peppers, mushrooms, scallions, broccoli, and carrots. In fact, all you have to do is chop and stir-fry in a little bit of olive oil with seasonings of your choice. You can also add basil, oregano, salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme to stir-fried veggies. A bit of garlic also tastes great. Add some pieces of chicken for a bit of lean protein or tofu if you prefer to go vegetarian.
- Pasta Sauce: Summer veggies are also good for Italian food. Make a batch of pasta sauce with tomatoes, garlic, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. You can also add some crushed pepper if you like a hint of spice or some brown sugar if it's a bit sour to taste.
There are a number of summer vegetable recipes you can try, from simple ones like a summer corn salad to more complex ones like summer vegetable ratatouille. Either way, you will benefit from the freshness of locally grown vegetables.
At Senior Helpers of South Bend, our caregivers can assist seniors in their trips to the local farmer's market to buy fresh produce. They can also help in the preparation of healthy meals. Contact us to learn more about how end-of-summer fruits and veggies can be great for seniors.