Six easy steps for seasonal summer eating

4. Nab your 5 to 10 a day
Freshly picked produce also makes it easier to increase your fruit and veggie servings, so think about grilling some peaches, tossing blueberries into a salad or smoothie, or adding cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves to pasta salads. "Peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, yellow squash, eggplant, and tomatoes are also great skewered, and cooked on the BBQ", says Elizabeth. "Red onions are nice too, and add colour."

5. Think outside the box
A lot of packaged, processed foods are sources of bad fats, high sodium, and lots of artificial additives. And studies have shown that produce loses lots of its nutritional punch the longer it's in the fridge, so it makes sense to eat fresh more often. Moreover, you can make summer last longer by freezing and preserving your summer harvest. "Freezing fresh stuff helps them to retain most of their nutrients," Elizabeth says. "Just make sure to do it the same day you pick the produce, and do it quickly and use within five months."

6. Dress lightly
Salads and sandwiches are usually big hits for summertime, but what you put on them can turn them into calorie bombs. So ditch the butter, mayo, and creamy salad dressings. Now what? Use olive oil, balsamic vinegar, white vinegar, and lemon juice, and herbs to dress salads. Top sandwiches with grilled veggies, smear on a little hummus, olive paste or sun-dried tomato paste, or roasted garlic. You can also grill bread on the BBQ slightly for added flavour.

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