While the supermarkets do have a great fruit and veg selection, many of us are trying to make our big shops last longer at the moment. One of the upsides is that we’re discovering the joys of visiting our local farm shops and market stalls or getting fresh produce delivered direct to our doors to top up our supplies…
If you’ve not yet tried shopping for what’s in season yet, July is the perfect month to start. From perfectly ripe tomatoes to sweet strawberries, shelves are currently bursting with brilliant seasonal fruit and veg to brighten up your barbecues and picnics.
While canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are great store-cupboard staples, buying what’s in season means you can enjoy the freshest, tastiest (and often cheapest) produce in your slimming-friendly meals. Plus, as most fruit and vegetables are Free Foods, with Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, you can eat as much as you like to satisfy your appetite – no counting, weighing or measuring needed.
There’s never been a better time to shop the seasons, with Veg Power’s #SeasonalVeg campaign encouraging all of us to cut down on food waste and support local farmers by eating tasty in-season produce. If you’d like to get involved, take our July shopping list to market (or have this page open when you place your next online order) and fill your basket with these gorgeously fresh goodies…
July veggies
One of the best things about summer is the bounty of fresh vegetables available – think juicy tomatoes, bright green peas and refreshing cucumbers. If you head over to the Slimming World member website, you’ll find a stack of healthy recipe ideas to turn your crop stars into delicious suppers. Fill your basket with these seasonal staples:
Aubergines
Courgettes
Cucumbers
French beans
Peas
Radishes
Tomatoes
Then dig into one of our favourite summer vegetable recipes, such as Sal’s oriental green salad which is packed with seasonal veg and perfect for eating al fresco.
July fruit
Summertime is all about berries, with plenty of plump, juicy fruits coming into season to add a berry burst to your breakfast or pack in a pot as a grab-and-go snack. Pick these seasonal beauties off the shelves and fill your July with fruity flavours:
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cherries
Gooseberries
Raspberries
Strawberries
Top these home-made pancakes with a handful of your favourite summer berries (plus a dollop of fat-free natural fromage frais) to get your day off to a sweet start. Or you could add a scoop of ice cream and enjoy as a delicious dessert.
What’s in your basket this month? We’d love to see your seasonal stash, so send us your photos and let us know what you’ve been making with your fruit and veg on social using #theSlimmingWorldblog.