Seasonal fruit July: which fruits and vegetables are in season in July?

Hopefully, the month of July has a few beautiful summer days in store for us. And what could be better than a delicious barbecue in the evening? This month you can barbecue sustainably, as many vegetables are in season in the Netherlands in July. Baked potatoes, roasted peppers or courgettes go great on the barbecue. And of course a salad should not be missing either. Or how about a fresh fruit salad? Because in July there is plenty of seasonal fruit available from the Netherlands, such as strawberry, apricot or peach.

Enjoy juicy and fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables in July

Thanks to Crisp for the seasonal produce

During hot summer days, it is important to get enough fluids. Did you know that many fruits and vegetables that are in season in the Netherlands in July have a high moisture content? Juicy cucumbers, celery, strawberries... Nature is smart, so let's take advantage of it. There is plenty of choice of seasonal fruits and vegetables in July, so with the list in this article, it will soon be a breeze to shop according to the seasons.

Oelala... all the goodies of July can go straight to the barbecue.

The benefits of seasonal fruit and vegetables

Supermarkets are full of fruit and vegetables. Why bother to pay attention to which fruit or vegetables are currently in season in the Netherlands? For one thing, it is better for the environment. Fruit or vegetables that have a longer transport route or are grown in heated greenhouses generally have a greater environmental impact. But did you also know that seasonal fruit and vegetables are better for your health? Because the transport route is shorter, the fruits or vegetables are riper before they are harvested. As a result, fewer nutrients are lost. Seasonal fruits and vegetables also contain more nutrients because they are stored for less time. Moreover, fewer pesticides are often used as they are less susceptible to diseases. Finally, it is usually a lot cheaper to buy seasonal fruit and vegetables.

Fruit or vegetables from the Netherlands are not always the most sustainable choice

Now that you are convinced of the benefits of seasonal vegetables and seasonal fruit, you can pay attention to them when you go shopping. Because the country of origin is indicated on the packaging, you may choose to buy fruit or vegetables from the Netherlands. Unfortunately, this is not always the most sustainable choice. After all, you can't tell in the supermarket whether the fruit or vegetable was grown in a heated greenhouse. For example, a head of lettuce from the Netherlands may be the most sustainable choice in July; while in January the head of lettuce from Spain is more sustainable because it grows in the open air. Pretty confusing isn't it? To make it easier for you, we have picked out for you which vegetables and fruits grow in full Dutch soil or in unheated greenhouses in the Netherlands. For October, these are the following fruit and vegetables:

Dutch seasonal vegetables July:

• potato (inspiration recipe: tikka masala with lentils, pepper and potato)
• endive
• artichoke
• aubergine (inspiration recipe: Chinese aubergine in Szechuan sauce)
• celery
• cauliflower (inspiration recipe: whole roasted cauliflower from the oven)
• broccoli (inspiration recipe: easy recipe for the tastiest stir-fried vegetables)
• Chinese cabbage
• courgette (inspiration recipe: curry recipe with lentils and saved vegetables)
• peas
• green celery
• cucumber
• kohlrabi
• head lettuce
• pak choi
• pepper (inspiration recipe: stuffed peppers with spinach and couscous)
• mangetout
• leeks (inspiration recipe: creamy celeriac and leek soup)
• radish
• red beet
• red cabbage
• savoy cabbage
• string bean
• green bean (inspiration recipe: green beans and potato curry)
• spinach (inspiration recipe: spicy spinach Indian style)
• pointed cabbage (inspiration recipe: vegan rendang with pointed cabbage)
• tomato (inspiration recipe: vegan gnocchi with vegetables in tomato sauce)
• broad bean
• onion (inspiration recipe: vegan lentil soup)
• fennel
• warmoes
• watercress
• white cabbage
• root (inspiration recipe: Moroccan-style carrots)
  
  

Dutch seasonal fruit July:

• strawberry
• apricot
• blueberry
• blackberry
• raspberry
• cherry
• nectarine
• peach
• rhubarb
• red currant
• blackcurrant
  
  

July's seasonal vegetables lend themselves perfectly to a summer salad!

Which seasonal fruits and vegetables contain the most moisture?

Not a star at drinking, but still want to get some extra fluids? Then add the following seasonal vegetables or seasonal fruit to your meal. These fruits and vegetables are in season in July and have a high moisture content: cucumber (96%), celery (95%), radish (95%), tomato (94%), green peppers (94%), cauliflower (92%), spinach (91%), strawberry (91%), broccoli (91%), carrot (90%), blueberry (88%) and raspberries (85%).

Just make sure you eat the vegetables or fruit raw. For example, make a nice salad with cucumber, tomato and peppers or a tasty fruit salad with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. When you cook vegetables or fruit, moisture is lost. This effect is even greater if you put them in the oven or on the barbecue. So if you feel like barbecuing in the evening during a hot day, make a juicy salad with seasonal fruit or vegetables to go with it. This will not only give you some extra moisture, but also a vitamin boost. Drinking water is still important; just by eating juicy fruit and vegetables as well, you might save yourself a glass of water a day. 

Seasonal fruit and vegetables in July: sustainable, healthy and cheap

We hope you can now make conscious and healthy choices more easily. And with any luck, you'll notice it in your wallet too. Another little tip: bookmark this list on your phone. That way you will always have it to hand when you are in the shop and you can quickly find March's seasonal vegetables or seasonal fruit.

More sustainable tips from thegreenlist.nl

• If you like to barbecue on charcoal at home, we have a sustainable tip: Pure Charcoal From Big Green Egg.
• What about all those labels in the supermarket, really? We looked into it for you and list the top food labels for you.
• Already curious about August's seasonal vegetables? You can find it here.
  
  

Sources: Outdoor Living Feeling about the benefits of seasonal eating, Albert Heijn on the benefits of seasonal fruit and vegetables, VegetableGroente.nl on seasonal vegetables by country, Velt's seasonal calendar for the list of seasonal vegetables and seasonal fruit, AD.nl and Dining blog.nl On the moisture content of fruit and vegetables. Photo credits: barbecue: Mike Fox (Unsplash), salad: Jill Wellington (Pexels), thegreenlist.nl.