One of my favorite things about summer is all of the fresh produce. Summertime brings gardens and harvests full of peas, strawberries, melons, and more. Now, (as a botany student) I recognize that the term “fruit” includes everything that comes from the flower of a plant. Nevertheless, in this article, I’m considering fruit in the conventional sense: so think apples and bananas rather than avocados and peppers. Two more disclaimers, these selections are based on summer fruit easily found in grocery stores across America, which sadly cuts out a lot of really cool global fruit like sapote and lychees. Also, these rankings are based on my own preferences and if you have some alternative opinions, good for you! An awesome thing about humans is we all have different preferences. Please feel free to share your own and maybe comment below about what your top summer fruit is (grown in the U.S. or otherwise).
10. Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe is not my favorite, to be honest. I’m not a fan of the taste and the texture is just kinda ‘meh’. For those who do enjoy cantaloupe, a fun way to enjoy it is by making a breakfast bowl out of it and filling the inside with yogurt and other berries.
9. Plums
Plums are also low on the scale for me, I find they’re often sour and smaller than I’d like for a serving of fruit. If you want to sweeten them up, try this sugar plums recipe reminiscent of Christmastime.
8. Nectarines
Nectarines are pretty good, though it can be hit or miss if they turn out to be too sour or overly sweet. Again, if you find a batch of nectarines to be too sour for your liking, try this nectarine up-side down cake (which is also great if you’re lacking pineapple).
7. Grapes
Grapes! Grapes are great for snacks, and I’ve also found adding them to oatmeal with a couple dollops of peanut butter makes a yummy PB&J style breakfast. Red grapes vs. green grapes vs. purple/blue grapes is an entirely different debate…though I do prefer the red variety.
6. Cherries
Cherries are the unexpected tart summertime fruit found at BBQ’s and picnics on the beach. Honestly, I love eating cherries plain, though if you want to do something fun with them cherry crumble bars are great for 4th of July festivities.
5. Peaches
I LOVE PEACHES. Grabbing a fuzzy, ripe peach and biting into it, having the juice drip down your face in the hot summertime before jumping into the lake…soooo good. The reason they’re lower on the list though is it’s SO HARD TO FIND GOOD ONES. Especially when you don’t live in Oregon, Georgia, or the other states where they can grow really good peaches. Sigh. (PS. white peaches are better than yellow)
4. Raspberries and Blackberries
A classic summertime fav, some of my fondest memories growing up are raspberry picking with my mother and neighbors out in the woods. If you’re able to, I would highly recommend going out and picking berries yourself; they taste so much better and are found wild in many parts of the country! I love serving berries over (DF) ice-cream, yogurt, or any other sweets like cake or crepes. If you have a surplus, jam is always a great way to go.
3. Blueberries
While I could have grouped these in with the other berries, I feel as if blueberries deserve a spot of their own. Low bush, high bush, alpine…I love all variations. Blueberries are a great summer food that is wonderful on it’s own or a beautiful addition to smoothies or yogurt bowls.
2. Watermelon
This was a hard pick between first and second… watermelon is one of the quintessential summer fruits. Picnics and outdoor antics with children in the summertime, each ending with a hefty watermelon being cut and shared amongst friends. Watermelon aqua Fresca is a refreshing summer drink made of blended watermelon, sugar, and lime juice. Watermelon pizzas are another fun take, using yogurt and chocolate drizzles for a chilled summertime dessert.
1. Strawberries
And the winner is….STRAWBERRIES! Possibly my favorite fruit of all time, when strawberries appear, you know it’s summer time. These berries are so versatile and delicious. Eaten plain, in smoothies, in sangria, all of the desserts….SO GOOD. If you need some recipe inspiration, check out these three strawberry recipes perfect for summer.
So…do you agree? Let me know in the comments below what your favorite summer fruit is! Happy summertime!