All the Seasonal Foods in July (and the Best Ways to Use Them)

The days are long, and the weather gives you an idea of ​​what it must feel like inside a deep fryer. While June is full of promise, July is just plain sweaty — and we’re getting there. The good news is that plants love the long hours of sunshine and the harsh humidity. Summer produce benefits directly as it ripens during this time — and so do you. This monthly article can help you decide which fruits and vegetables to buy before they skyrocket in price or disappear entirely for the next 10 months.

Why Seasonal and Local Foods Are Better Than Out-of-Season

Local produce will naturally be in season. Not only does buying local support regional farms that are somewhere closer to where you live, but you’ll likely benefit from lower prices. Once all the sweet corn is harvested and all those New Jersey blueberries are picked, they won’t last forever. And it’s not just the farmers market; big box stores like ShopRite will also have a glut of zucchini that they’ll mark down considerably.

You’ll likely see a greater variety of tender greens and delicate fruits that also don’t fare well in out-of-state shipping. And let’s not forget about flavor: Seasonal produce is tough . If you’ve ever eaten imported winter tomatoes and then tried seasonal tomatoes from a local garden (maybe even your own), you know they almost taste like a completely different fruit.

What’s in fashion now?

My favorite fruit is starting to show up in grocery stores: peaches. They, like other incredible stone fruits, are what I look forward to all year. Don’t just buy enough fruit; buy “too much.” The excess is great for smoothies (here are a couple great blenders you might be interested in) and pies.

New products ready for harvest in July:

• Apples

• Blueberry

• Raspberry

• Peaches

• Plums

• Nectarines

• Sour cherry

• Kale

• Green beans (string beans)

• Carrot

• Cucumbers

• Onion

• Pepper

• Potato

• Tomatoes

Hurry to buy before they disappear:

• Cherries

• Garlic arrows

• Green sweet peas

• Rhubarb

• Green peas

• Snow peas

Peak season products:

• Beet tops

• Apricots

• Strawberry

• Beet

• Broccoli

• Cabbage

• Garlic

• Mustard greens

• Zucchini and squash

• Lettuce

• Radish and its greens

• Spinach

• Swiss chard

Keep in mind that availability varies by region by several weeks, so don’t be jealous if your rhubarb ran out a week ago, and don’t be overconfident if you’ve already started seeing plums at the farmers market. However, consider investing in a chest freezer , because you’ll need to freeze peak-season fruit in about a month. (Here’s the best way to freeze fruit .)

What to make from your bounty

Fruits

July is the time when we all start to hate turning on our ovens. You can skip the pies if you must. Instead, use your summer fruit bounty in no-bake desserts and, for heaven’s sake, eat them raw. Add peaches and plums to cereal, oatmeal or yogurt. Make compotes on the stovetop; they’re quick and easy. Or you can really avoid the heat and use the microwave. I use frozen berries in this microwave compote, but you can use fresh fruit, too. Don’t rule out the air fryer, either. Roasting fruits, vegetables and making small pies is quicker and the heat isn’t as intense as a conventional oven. Here are my favorite air fryers of 2025 so far.

Naturally, the best way to cool down is with a frozen treat. Blend fresh fruit or freshly made compote from the microwave into homemade ice cream, sorbet, or slushie. I suggest a simple ice cream maker like the Cuisinart Pure Indulgence , or for single servings, nothing beats the Dash My Mug . If you really want something fancy, use the Ninja Slushi for a frozen drink. Blend fresh fruit into a puree before adding it to the drink mix.

Speaking of refreshing drinks, you can also use frozen fruits as ice cubes for your summer cocktails. You can even use them to make an infused Campari shaken cocktail .

If you’re used to the gentle heat of the oven, now is the time to bake pies. Cherry pies, peach pies, or blueberry tarts—any fruit you can find. Here’s my foolproof way to make a lattice pie crust , and my best tips for keeping fruit pies from going soggy . If you’ve had trouble with pies in the past, check out these articles.

Vegetables

Beans, carrots, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes will join us in July. I think it’s salad. If you’re not a fan of raw salad (I understand), try a warm salad with some grains. Make a quick stir-fry with kale, peas and greens. Now is also the best time to make a raw vegetable platter . I know it sounds boring, but raw food never tastes better than when it’s in season.

This goes for both fruits and vegetables: Grill them. It couldn’t be simpler. Brush squash planks or peach halves with neutral vegetable oil and place them on a hot grill for a minute to color them. Season them with salt when you remove them from the heat.

Before you know it, we’ll all be swimming in tomatoes . And during that time, we have a responsibility to eat as many tomatoes as possible every day. Get a jar of mayo and some sliced ​​bread ready for when that time finally arrives.

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