10 Summer Fruits and Vegetables in Season Right Now
Alison Stripling • September 17, 2020
From crisp corn to juicy watermelon and ripe peaches, the bounty of summer fruits and vegetables coming into our Produce department is an exciting celebration of colors, flavors and textures. Here’s what’s best in season this summer so you can get cooking — or not, since all of these can be enjoyed raw. We also feature weekly sales on your favorite produce, so make sure to check your store before you shop. See all Sales
CHERRIES
Cherry season is on now, and it’s short but so sweet. When our field inspectors scout out cherries for our stores, they’re looking for fresh green stems and firm, juicy fruit. Add them to salads, desserts and salsas — and keep an eye out for unique varieties like Skylar Rae and strawberry cherries.
CORN
Long, warm days and light summer meals make fresh corn a summer must. Generally at its sweetest when it’s eaten as close to harvest as possible. If you have local corn available in your store, summer’s a great time to enjoy what local farmers have harvested.
CANTALOUPE AND HONEYDEW MELONS
Melon season is when our Produce department celebrates a variety of melons, so it’s a great time to try something new. Keep an eye out for unique varieties like Galia, Hami, Canary, Casaba or Crenshaw melons.
BERRIES
Though berries are around for the whole year, summer brings a windfall of peak-season sweet blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. They’re best stored unwashed in the refrigerator and eaten within a few days — wash them just before you eat them.
STONE FRUITS
Fruits with pits like peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, cherries (and the many juicy stone fruits in between) — peak at different times throughout the summer. Firm fruits are great for grilling, but if you prefer riper fruit, store on the counter until there’s a slight give.
TOMATOES
From little grape and cherry tomatoes to the large varieties of heirlooms, summer is the absolute best time of the year for tomatoes. That’s when you’ll spot a whole spectrum of colors and sizes — each type of tomato varies in texture, sweetness, juiciness and acidity, and this is the time to try them all.
Try it: No-Cook Tomato Sauce
WATERMELONS
Nothing says summer like watermelon. Packed with cooling, hydrating juice, it’s the ultimate heat quencher. A whole watermelon will keep at room temperature for seven to 10 days. Although it’s best to eat ASAP once cut, it can be refrigerated for two to three days.
SUMMER SQUASHES
Squashes like zucchini and yellow squash are some of the most versatile vegetables in the kitchen. They can be eaten raw as vegetable noodles or crudités, diced for omelets or simply grilled. Store your squash haul in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer and wash just before using.
OKRA
Long celebrated as a summer staple in the South, okra is more versatile than you might think. Fried okra and gumbo are the usual go-tos, but okra really stands out when it’s pickled, it picks up smoky flavor well on the grill or when it’s halved and roasted into oven fries.
GRAPES
The season’s sweetest grapes are here for the summer. Chilled grapes make the easiest snack, but frozen grapes make smart “ice cubes” for chilling wine. Look for firm, fresh grapes — the greener the stem, the fresher the grapes — and wash just before eating.
Thanks to Kevin Courtney and Nick Otto for this wonderful article about one of our long-time favorite merchants at the plaza. Read the full article here .
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JAZZERCISE + ATHLETA EVENT
Athleta is coming to Bel Aire Plaza! Please join us for a week-long Grand Opening experience with fitness classes, special shopping offers, giveaways and more. REGISTER for all events - first come, first served. Limited 10 per class. https://events.athleta.com/belaireplazagrandopening Tuesday, September 7 At 10am, come to the ribbon cutting and sign up for the Athleta loyalty program to receive a custom Athleta Napa tote and be entered to win a $100 Athleta shop card. From 5-7pm, join Certified fitness professionals, personal trainers, and group fitness instructors for the Fitness Professional Party to stay in the know about enrolling in the fitness professional discount program and other important information about events and promos happening at our store. REGISTER for Fitness Pro Party: https://events.athleta.com/napafitproparty Wednesday, September 8 At 12pm, attend a Pure Barre class. Thursday, September 9 10am - Tognetti Sisters. Christina, Lauren and Jenny will offer a full body workout. 12pm - Crush Fitness class 2pm - Girls On The Run (GOTR) yoga Class Friday, September 10 10am - Orange Theory workout 12pm - Orange Theory workout Saturday, September 11 10am - dance class for moms by the dance director and Spiritleader of a local high school Sunday, September 12 10 am - HealthQuest Fitness yoga class 12pm - follow Berniedette on Insta ( @petiteandtoned ) and see some of latest styles Exciting week of events for our Grand Opening. Don't miss out! 🎉
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If you’re wondering why Trader Joe’s Organic Corn Chip Dippers made our not-scientific-but-still-pretty-accurate list of Crew Member Favorites, you probably haven’t tried these delightfully crunchy, dippable chips—something you should change very soon. They’re made with a mere three ingredients: organic corn, organic sunflower oil, and salt. That’s it!  On top of their simple ingredient list and captivating crunch, they function perfectly as the edible little corn version of a spoon. Dip them into queso, salsa, or guac. Or use the bag as a bowl of sorts, and top these Dippers with warmed turkey chili, shredded cheese and hot & sweet jalapeños for comforting, cold weather fare that’s ready in mere minutes!
