Summer is the best time to take advantage of the season’s freshest, most flavorful produce. Local farmers’ markets and gardens are overflowing with fruits and vegetables that not only taste amazing but also give your body a healthy boost.
Whether you’re building colorful salads, snacking on something sweet, or looking for vibrant sides to pair with grilled dishes, these eight summer superfoods are worth adding to your basket.
🍉 Watermelon
Nothing says summer quite like a cold slice of watermelon. Packed with water — about 92% — this fruit is a natural hydrator on hot days. It’s also loaded with vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and magnesium, along with citrulline, an amino acid that helps keep blood flow smooth.
Plus, watermelon gets its bright pink color from lycopene, the same antioxidant that makes tomatoes a nutritional star. It’s a simple, refreshing way to stay cool and enjoy something sweet without feeling weighed down.
👉 Want to make sure it stays at its juiciest? Check out our guide on How to Keep Cut Watermelon Fresh & Juicy for Days.
🍅 Tomatoes
Speaking of lycopene, fresh tomatoes shine brightest in the summer. Nothing beats the taste of a sun-warmed tomato plucked right off the vine. They’re rich in vitamin C, potassium, folate, and fiber, making them a solid pick for supporting overall wellness.
Enjoy them sliced with a sprinkle of salt, tossed into salads, or layered on sandwiches for an easy seasonal upgrade.
🫐 Blueberries
Tiny but mighty, blueberries are packed with flavor and nutrition. These little berries bring fiber, vitamins, minerals, and plenty of antioxidants to the table.
Their natural sweetness makes them perfect for stirring into yogurt, topping off cereal, or eating by the handful. They’re also a fun choice for baking — think muffins or crisps — if you want to take full advantage of berry season.
🍓 Strawberries
Strawberries are at their best during the warmest months, bursting with juicy sweetness. They’re loaded with vitamin C, manganese, and dietary fiber, along with colorful plant compounds like anthocyanins and ellagic acid that give them their vivid red hue.
Try them sliced over cottage cheese, blended into smoothies, or simply rinsed and enjoyed as is. Few things capture summer quite like the taste of a perfectly ripe strawberry.
👉 Want the sweetest picks? Don’t miss our guide on How to Pick the Sweetest Strawberries at the Store.
👉 And once you bring them home, learn How to Keep Strawberries Fresh for Longer, According to Driscoll’s Experts.
🥬 Kale
If you’re looking to load up on greens, kale is a powerhouse. It’s rich in vitamins A, C, and K, plus calcium, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. This leafy green is an easy way to add texture and depth to salads or to blend into smoothies for a nutrient boost.
Kale’s sturdy leaves also hold up well when lightly sautéed or added to soups, making it versatile beyond just raw salads.
🍒 Cherries
Sweet or tart, cherries are a summer favorite for good reason. Their gorgeous red color hints at the anthocyanins inside — compounds tied to various benefits. Cherries also provide vitamin C and add a naturally sweet touch to your plate.
Enjoy them as a simple snack, or pit them and stir into yogurt, oats, or chilled desserts for a pop of seasonal flavor.
🥒 Zucchini
If your garden is overflowing with zucchini, you’re in luck. This summer squash is low in calories yet a good source of vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. It also packs carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin, which are known for supporting eye health.
Zucchini is super versatile — spiralize it into noodles, toss it on the grill, or bake it into moist breads and muffins.
🌶 Peppers
Bell peppers come in a rainbow of colors and bring serious crunch to your summer meals. They’re loaded with vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6, folate, and bioactive compounds like capsanthin and quercetin.
Add sliced peppers to veggie trays, sauté them into stir-fries, or roast them to bring out their natural sweetness. Each color offers slightly different antioxidants, so mix it up to get a vibrant nutrient variety.
🌿 Make the most of summer’s superfoods
Summer is all about enjoying fresh, colorful, hydrating foods that taste amazing and keep you energized through long, sunny days. So hit up your local farmers’ market or stroll through your garden, and grab these delicious picks while they’re at their peak.
👉 Looking for even more ways to savor the season? Check out our guide to the 11 Best Summer Vegetables for Health & Flavor — it’s packed with tasty ideas to make the most of what’s in season.
