Fruit, fruit, and more fruit served in a bunch of different ways.  It is amazing what we have access to year-round, but when fruits that are in season locally start popping up at our farmers market and grocery stores, I get very excited.  We’ll often make a fruit salad of whatever is on hand, adding finely chopped mint sometimes for extra summer flare.  Other than straight up fruit, though, some of our favorites are:

• Snow cones! We bought a small snow cone maker last summer and my kids loved it — so did the grown-ups! You can make your own fruit purees to make it a healthier option than the sugar-laden store-bought syrups (although every once in a while we love using those too!).
• Frozen yogurt tubes.  We go through phases with yogurt, but it is fun to get these (we like Yokids squeezers) and stick them in the freezer for a cold treat.
• Smoothies.  These are always a hit, and I have been making mine without yogurt lately since they can easily turn out more like a sorbet when I use the Vitamix. Our favorite mix is strawberries, ice, some freshly squeezed lemon juice, a little honey, and some pomegranate juice.  I have loved making this in the afternoon since it is a great pick-me up on a hot day!
• Shaved ice.  Not far off from the snow cone idea, but different. I have a recipe for a Watermelon-Raspberry Ice from Rick Bayless that is pretty easy to make and tastes great in the summer.  It is blended watermelon, raspberries, mint, and pomegranate juice that you freeze in a baking dish.  After it has a while to freeze you mix up the crystals beginning to form. You repeat that process for a bit until you are left with fluffy, flavorful ice crystals. Yum!

The abundance of fresh produce is our summer treat, and we revel in it in many forms.  The most healthy way that we enjoy the summer fruits are to eat them just as they are.  To encourage the inclusion of as much fruit as possible, I keep it accessible and visible.  We have crates of peaches and apricots on the counter, and cherries, strawberries, blueberries in the refrigerator.  I cut up fresh melon and washed berries, and keep them in the refrigerator ready to add to cereal, smoothies, yogurt, or just to eat as they are for a snack, play date, or as a side dish at meals or picnics.

I make seasonal breads and muffins with the fresh produce including blueberry muffins, zucchini bread, and angel food cake with berries.

The boys have a number of different popsicle molds, and they love experimenting with different juices to make homemade popsicles.  We also snack on frozen blueberries and frozen grapes.  We intend to make frozen bananas (dipped in chocolate) but haven’t tried it yet.

On the less healthy, but oh so delicious, side — we make as many fresh fruit pies as we can!  Ah, summer, it’s so delightful.