Summer is the perfect time to buy delicious seasonal fruits and vegetables. Instead of traveling to a farmers’ market or farm stand to pick up your local produce, why not stop by your neighborhood Hy-Vee store to complete all of your shopping in just one trip?
Hy-Vee offers a wide variety of nutrient-rich, locally grown produce from over 45 growers in the Midwest. Our Hy-Vee Homegrown label ensures that you are purchasing the freshest items from local family farms. Be sure to take a look at the signs posted throughout our produce department. They indicate where your food was grown and how far the farm is from your Hy-Vee store.
According to the Food Marketing Institute’s U.S. Grocery Shopping Trends report, the top reasons for purchasing locally grown foods include freshness (82%), supporting the local economy (75%) and taste (58%).
Buying locally grown fruits and vegetables helps the local economy of farmers and ranchers who live in our Hy-Vee community and brings customers the very freshest of produce. Plus, the taste just can’t be beat! Local produce packs a nutritious punch, is superior in quality and tastes so fresh that you’ll think it was grown in your own garden.
Local, seasonal fruits and vegetables are typically more budget-friendly because they are harvested during their peak season for you to enjoy. Popular locally grown summer produce includes sweet corn, watermelon, tomatoes, peppers, muskmelon, zucchini and yellow squash, cabbage, cucumbers and green beans, as well as acorn, butternut and spaghetti squash.
Don’t hesitate! Check out your neighborhood Hy-Vee’s selection of locally grown fruits and vegetables and help support our mission to be earth-friendly and build a strong relationship with our community farmers and ranchers. Also, be sure to talk with your Hy-Vee dietitian about ways to increase your fruit and vegetable intake, incorporate fresh produce into your meals, or ways in which you can select the best produce from our stores.
Slow-Cooker Quinoa-Summer Squash Casserole
Serves 10 (3/4 cup each).
All you need:
- 12 oz tomatillos, husked, rinsed and chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 1 poblano or bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese, divided
- 2 pounds small yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
All you do:
- Combine tomatillos, tomatoes, pepper, onion, lime juice and salt in a medium bowl.
- Coat a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Layer quinoa, 1/3 cup cheese and all the squash in the slow cooker. Top with another 1/3 cup cheese. Spread the tomatillo mixture on top, but don’t stir the ingredients together. Refrigerate the remaining cheese to use for the topping.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Serve sprinkled with oregano and the remaining 1/3 cup cheese.
Nutrition facts per serving: 111 calories, 3g fat, 1g saturated fat, 3mg cholesterol, 286mg sodium, 18g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 6g sugar, 5g protein.
Source: adapted from Eating Well.
The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.
