Ideas for Living Seasonally during Summer
The summer season offers a special opportunity to simplify our lives and connect more deeply with what truly matters. By focusing on living seasonally with the food we eat, the family we love, and the faith we enjoy, we can create a meaningful and enriching summer experience. Here are some simple living tips to help you embrace this beautiful season of summer!
Food: Savor the Bounty of Summer
Summer is a season of abundance when it comes to fresh produce. Over the past ten years, I have built a kitchen garden that serves us all three major seasons (spring, summer, and fall). I’m working on that winter season! Nothing compares to summer, though, when there’s little else to do but enjoy the harvests from spring planting.
1. Eat Seasonally and Locally: Even if you don’t currently have a home garden, you can visit your local farmer’s market or join a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program to access fresh, local produce. Living seasonally means consuming fruits and vegetables at their peak flavor and nutritional value. Berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and leafy greens are just a few examples of summer produce that can be the stars of your meals. Many commercial supermarkets also reserve a “grown locally” section of their produce aisle – be sure to check it out!
2. Simplify Your Meals: Summer is the perfect time to embrace simple, no-fuss meals. Think salads, grilled vegetables, and fresh fruit. A Greek salad with ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and feta can be a refreshing lunch. Grilled chicken, corn on the cob, and a light quinoa salad makes a delicious and easy dinner. Living seasonally doesn’t just have to be about the natural season – there are so many feast days in the summer months! Check out the July Feast Day Recipe Guide for inspiration.
3. Preserve Summer Flavors: It’s easy to grow or buy more than you need when seasonal produce is on sale (I often do this on purpose just to preserve it!) Consider canning, freezing, or making jams and pickles with those extra bundles of fruits and vegetables. This not only reduces food waste but also allows you to enjoy summer flavors throughout the year. Homemade berry jams, roasted peppers, green tomato relish….these and more can be a delightful reminder of living seasonally during the colder months. Based on your storage system, you can also deep freeze herbs as they are or in oil. There’s more than one way to build up your pantry items!
4. Host a Potluck Picnic: Gather friends and family for a potluck picnic at a local park or, even better, in a backyard. Each person can bring a simple, homemade dish featuring seasonal ingredients. This not only makes meal preparation easier but also allows everyone to share their favorite summer recipes. Living seasonally is better together!
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Family: Create Lasting Memories Together
1. Unplug and Connect: I challenge you to go beyond outings and events, and designate specific times during the day or week unplug from electronic devices. There’s too much daylight out to miss enjoying it together as a family! Family time can be during meals, evening walks, outdoor game nights, or during regular quiet times in the house. Reading books together or simply talking about our days can strengthen connections and create a sense of togetherness – which is a key part of living seasonally.
2. Plan Outdoor Adventures: Take advantage of the warm weather by planning outdoor activities. Whether it’s hiking, camping, or a day at the beach or pool, spending time in nature can be a wonderful way to bond as a family. These activities also have a hidden benefit – when we are outside enjoying nature and local amenities, screen time goes the the back burner. If there’s a season to unplug from screens and technology, summer is it!
3. Start a Family Garden: Gardening is a rewarding activity that can involve the entire family. Planting and caring for a garden teaches children about nature, responsibility, and the joy of growing their own food. Plus, it provides a source of fresh produce for your meals, making it a perfect way to practice living seasonally.
After 10 years of experience, I can tell you this: the easiest garden to start and maintain is a herb garden. Most common herbs like mint, oregano, sage, and thyme are perennials. Parsley comes back every two years and basil is easy to get a hold of as annual seedlings in stores.
Planting wildflowers is also the easiest thing to do the world – simply scatter on fresh soil and watch them grow! I always buy a regional blend of wildflowers for the highest chance of germination and growth, and it has been the best decision ever made!
Check out these combinations below from Eden Brothers:
- North American Wildflower Blend
- Northeast Wildflower Blend
- Northeast All Perennial Wildflower Blend
- Midwest Wildflower Blend
- Midwest All Perennial Wildflower Blend
- Pacific Northwest WIldflower Blend
- Southwest Wildflower Blend
- Western Wildflower Blend
Deepen your Faith by Living Seasonally
1. Spend Time in Reflection and Prayer: Set aside time each day for quiet reflection and prayer. During the summer, enjoy this time outside! Early mornings or late evenings, when the world is still but the sun is still out, can make for extra special moments of gratitude or meditation.
2. Practice Mindfulness in Nature: Nature itself is a profound source of inspiration. Begin by taking walks in the woods or local park, sit by a river, settle onto a beach, or watch the sunset. Use these moments to practice mindfulness – focusing on the sights, sounds, and smells around you. This can deepen your connection to God’s creation and take living seasonally during the summer to a whole other level.
4. Volunteer and Serve: Use the longer days of summer to volunteer for important causes that resonate with you. Your parish or local community organization continues their work all year round, and the summer months can be especially difficult to find consistent volunteers. Whether it’s helping at a local food bank, participating in a community clean-up, or assisting with a summer camp, giving back to the community is one of the easiest and best ways to express our values as Catholics.
What do you enjoy most about Summer Living?
Living seasonally in summer is about embracing the simplicity and abundance that this time of year offers. By focusing on fresh, local food, creating meaningful family experiences, and deepening our faith, we can enjoy each day as it was intended. As the days are long and the nights are warm, let us remember to slow down, savor the moment, and celebrate the joys of living seasonally in summer!
