All the Produce in Season in July (and the Best Ways to Use It)

The days are long and the weather gives you a sense of what the inside of an air fryer must feel like. While June is full of hope, July is just sweaty—and we’re closing in. The good news is that plants love the long sunny hours and gnarly humidity. Summer’s produce will directly benefit as it ripens during this time—and so will you. This monthly article can help you decide which fruits and veggies to buy before they skyrocket in price, or completely disappear for another 10 months.

Why seasonal and local produce beats off-season

Local produce is naturally going to be in season. Not only does buying local produce support regional farms situated somewhere closer to where you live but you’re likely to benefit from a cheaper price tag. When all of the sweet corn gets harvested, and all of those New Jersey blueberries get picked, they won’t last forever. Not just at the farmer’s market either; big box stores like ShopRite will also have a glut of zucchini that they’ll mark down significantly.  

You’ll probably see a greater variety of tender greens and delicate fruits that don’t travel out of state well too. And let’s not forget about flavor: In-season produce is robust. If you’ve ever had an imported, wintertime tomato and then tasted an in-season tomato from a local garden (maybe even your own), you know they almost taste like different fruits entirely. 

What’s in season right now

My very favorite fruits are beginning to stroll into the grocery store: peaches. These along with other incredible stone fruits are what I wait for all year. Don’t just buy enough fruit; buy “too much.” The excess is great for smoothies (here are a couple great blenders that might interest you), and pies.

The new produce ready for harvest in for July:

• Apples

• Blueberries

• Raspberries

• Peaches

• Plums

• Nectarines

• Tart cherries

• Collard greens

• Snap beans (green beans)

• Carrots

• Cucumbers

• Onions

• Peppers

• Potatoes

• Tomatoes

Get ‘em before they’re gone:

• Sweet Cherries

• Garlic scapes

• Green sweet peas

• Rhubarb

• Snap peas

• Snow peas

Produce in peak season:

Keep in mind that availability varies by a few weeks regionally—so don’t be jealous if rhubarb left you a week ago, and don’t get cocky if you started seeing plums at the farmer’s market already. Do consider getting a chest freezer though, because you’ll want to freeze your peak season fruits in a month or so. (Here’s the best way to freeze fruit.)

What to cook with your bounty

Fruits

July is about the time we all start to hate turning on our ovens. It’s OK to avoid pie baking if need be. Instead, use your summer fruit bounty in no-bake desserts and for goodness’ sake, eat the stuff raw. Add peaches and plums to your cereal, oatmeal, or yogurt. Make stovetop compotes, which are 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 count out the air fryer either. Roasting fruits, vegetables, and cooking small pies is quicker and the heat is less radiant than with the conventional oven. Here are my favorite air fryers of 2025 so far. 

Naturally, the best way to cool off is with a frozen treat. Mix fresh fruit or your newly made microwave compote into homemade ice cream, sorbet, or a slushy. I suggest a simple ice cream maker like this Cuisinart Pure Indulgence, or for a single serving, nothing beats the Dash My Mug. If you really want to get fancy, use the Ninja Slushi for a frozen drink. Blend your fresh fruit into a puree before adding it into your drink mixture.

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

If you can get used to a little oven warmth, now’s the time to churn out some pies. Cherry pies, peach pies, or blueberry tarts—whatever fruit you can get your hands on. Here’s my fail-proof way to lattice pie crust, and my best advice on preventing soggy fruit pies. If you’ve had trouble with pie in the past, give these a read. 

Vegetables 

Beans, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes are all joining us for July. Sounds like a salad to me. If you’re not a fan of raw salad (I understand), try a warm salad with some grains tossed in. Make a quick stir fry with the cabbage, peas, and greens. Now is also the best time to make a crudité platter. I know, it sounds boring, but raw produce never tastes better than when it’s in peak season. 

This goes for both fruits and veg: grill them. It almost couldn’t be easier. Swipe a neutral cooking oil over planks of squash or halved peaches and pop them on the blisteringly hot grates for a minute just to get some color. Salt them when they come off the heat.  

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