June Produce Guide
What’s In Season? The July Produce Guide! (Northern Hemisphere)

The Season of Abundance:

Welcome to the July Produce Guide!

Today, I am super excited to share our guide to July produce (Northern Hemisphere, of course!). Here at WonderMamas, we are dedicated to inspiring and educating our followers on everything sustainable, nutritious, and delicious. One of the big first steps that we took in our environmentally conscious produce shopping was to shop IN SEASON!

 

Some amazing benefits of shopping in season:

  1. The Taste:

    In season produce is fresher and tastes so much better (you will notice the difference right away if you are new to shopping in season!). The fruits are sweeter, and the produce has reached its “perfectly ripe” stage. When we purchase out of season, the produce is picked BEFORE fully ripe and ripens in a cardboard box that is then shipped to various states or countries (usually across oceans!). The produce is also usually packed in refrigerator containers which greatly reduce flavour.

  2. The Nutrition:

    Fruit and vegetables that are picked at the perfectly ripe stage are much more nutritious than those who are picked early and ripened in artificial surroundings (box to refrigeration to heat rooms which lowers the phyto-nutrient content). Produce that is purchased in season is more likely to be fresher, consumed closer to harvesting and higher in nutritional value, some anti-oxidants such as Vitamin C, folate and carotenes will rapidly decline when stored for periods of time.

  3. Cost:

    In season means abundance. If apples are in season, you bet your dollar that farmers are literally SWIMMING in apples. We live near to apple orchards and we have seen this in real time – it’s quite funny. When farmers have an abundance of a fruit or vegetable, the price will (almost always) go down. We purchase the produce from our local farmers, we also cut out the shipping/transportation costs. When we purchase food that is out of season (or just not grown in our country), we are adding in a LOT of cost (that can hurt our wallet and the environment). Think of all of the shipping, transportation, and handling that goes into avocados? It’s quite intense.

  4. Overseas Contamination:

    So often we head to the grocery store and simply add the produce to our carts without thinking of the ridiculously long journey that it took to get to our hands. Where is the farm located? What are the regulations? How about transportation regulations? What about heavy metal? Hygiene practices? So many questions to be answered and most companies do not give these answers so freely. Best to stay in season, stay local, and support what Mother Nature has to offer you.

  5. Mother Nature is Wise:

    Speaking of Mother Nature, did you know that “In Season” is really just code word for “What Nature has intended for you to eat at this exact moment”? Haha. This is how I like to think of in season produce. Mother Nature is way smarter than any of us, I promise you, and she has given the gift of certain produce at certain times to aid us in our nutrition! Just think about it: Winter is full of yummy citrus which boosts our Vitamin C content for flu/sick season. Summer fruits are FULL of extra beta-carotenes and other carotenoids that help protect us against sun damage!

  6. Environmentally Friendly:

    If you have made it this far on the list, then you know how environmentally friendly it is to shop in season (locally preferred). The constant demand on overseas farmers, shipping, transportation, and the heavy pressure for spraying those questionable sprays to keep up with thee pressure is hurting the Earth (and its inhabitants) so much.

“But, Danielle, I can’t eat in season and local ALL the time. What do I do?!”

It is so very important to understand that this is not always possible, but that simply trying your best to support local and in season as much as YOU can is worth it. By simply being conscious of where you food comes from, how far it has traveled, and what it has gone through in terms of growing/handling/ripening/refrigeration/heat, we are much better prepared to make better decisions. Just do your best!

 

The July Produce Guide: Veggies Galore!

  • Asparagus
  • Bell Peppers
  • Broccoli
  • Broad bean
  • Cauliflower
  • Courgette flower
  • Courgette.
  • Celery
  • Chard
  • Carrot
  • Cucumber
  • Chicory
  • Dandelion
  • Eggplant
  • Garlic
  • Green bean
  • Lettuce
  • Onions
  • Early potato
  • Mushrooms
  • Nettle
  • Tomato
  • Pea
  • Rhubarb
  • Radish
  • Rocket
  • Summer Squash
  • Swiss chard

 

The July Produce Guide: Fruit for Days!

  • Apples
  • Avocado
  • Apricot
  • Bananas
  • Blueberries
  • Black cherry
  • Cantaloupe
  • Cherry
  • Currant
  • Figs
  • Gooseberry
  • Kiwi
  • Lemon
  • Lime
  • Loquat
  • Mangoes
  • Melon
  • Mulberry
  • Nectarine
  • Pear
  • Plum
  • Peach
  • Raspberry
  • Strawberry
  • Watermelon

 

 

Looking for recipes that include seasonal produce?

Check out our latest Vegan Summer Recipe Guide!

Want to try your hand at juicing your seasonal produce? Check out this amazing summer juicing guide!

Looking for FREE and Super Simple Vegan Recipes straight to your inbox? Subscribe here!

Join the WonderMamas Meal Plan Membership our secret to a healthy, sustainable, and ethical kitchen!

 

June Produce Guide
Vegan Grocery Guide
Easy Vegan Grocery Guide + Free Shopping List!

Easy Vegan Grocery Guide

We have created the ultimate easy vegan grocery guide to support you on your plant-based journey!
This easy vegan grocery guide is an excellent place to start.
Beginning on a whole food plant-based vegan journey is so much easier than most think. We simply stick to eating whole foods, including minimally refined and non-processed foods, and steer clear of animal-based products including meat, dairy, and eggs.
Before you get scared away by thinking about how challenging this lifestyle might be, let’s lay out a few of the amazing benefits that come from switching over to the plant side.

 

Click the photo below to snag your FREE Vegan Guide!

 

Vegan Grocery Guide

Benefits of Eating Whole-Food Plant-Based

There’s no surprise here, a plant-based whole foods lifestyle can seriously boost your health. Countless scientific studies show the effects of a veganism whole foods diet, controlling and even reversing many chronic illnesses. Veganism can reduce your risk for numerous diseases on the rise, such as Type 2 Diabetes, Cancer, and Heart Disease. 
Even if you’re not currently suffering from any major illness; veganism and the whole-foods lifestyle is often attributed to an increase in energy, overall fitness levels, and anti-inflammatory health benefits. 
My personal favorite benefit of eating plant-based besides how amazing I feel is the environmental impact I am making with my family. I love viewing animals as friends, not as food or nourishment, and finding new better sustainable ways to lessen my carbon footprint in every aspect of my family’s life. 
Switching to a whole foods plant-based lifestyle may seem daunting, but it is actually simple when you have the right tools for the transition. That is why you need to keep this easy grocery guide in your back pocket for whenever you need guidance! (bookmark this one friend!) 
Here is a free downloadable grocery list so you can get everything you need to sustain a vegan, whole foods, plant-based meals on your next trip to the grocery store. I’ve got you covered! 

Our Favorite Family Meal Prep Recipes!

Now you may be wondering… What can my family and I eat when switching to a vegan lifestyle?

Now that you have your vegan grocery guide, let’s chat recipes.

There are so many delicious ways to make all of your family’s favorite foods, vegan. I do not feel like I am missing out on anything food-wise because I have created practically a book of easy, delicious recipes that my family loves. 

Here’s a sample of what we eat in a day to give you an idea: 

Breakfast: My Super Simple Vegan Breakfast Squares

Who doesn’t love chocolate cake for breakfast? My boys call these breakfast squares “chocolate cake” and request these almost every day. Little do they know, they have secret nutrients hidden inside, such as flaxseed. 

Lunch: Vegan Green Goddess Buddha Salad Bowl

My lunch staple usually revolves around some sort of bowl or salad. I have been obsessed with Green Goddess Dressing, so I finally created my own and WOW… I would eat this every single day if I could! 

Dinner: Garam Masala Coco Carrot and Rice

The new highly requested dinner this past couple of weeks is the Garam Masala Coco Carrot and Rice. I whipped this up a few weeks ago after not going to the grocery store for about 13 days (a new record for me) and having also a little too many carrots left. This is a delicious, kid-approved way to sneak in those extra veggies.

Dessert: No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

And last, but certainly not least, if you have a little sweet tooth at the end of the night, these no-bake cookies are the cure. They’re super simple to make and a surefire way to satisfy everyone’s craving in the family. 

If you want to skip the vegan recipe research and make simple kid-approved meals for your whole family easily, join me in the Wonder Mamas Family Meal Plan Program for weekly meal plans! These meal plans will help you save time, money, and above all, save you from the stress of the never-ending question “What’s for dinner, mom?

 

Benefits of Family Meal Planning

I believe that meal planning is the key to living a sustainable, healthy, vegan lifestyle. Without it, I’d always be stressed about what we will eat next and what’s in my pantry. I started meal planning to save myself from the seemingly million trips to the grocery store every week, and now I want to share my vegan family style recipes with all mamas. 

Some benefits of meal planning:
  • Save time: Don’t waste time going to the grocery store before every meal – know what you need the first time with a full weekly grocery list. 
  • Save money: How many times have you gone to the store for a few veggies and walked out with another week’s worth of random foods? By planning in advance, you can get what you NEED and skip out on the extra fluff that happens to catch your eye. 
  • Reduce stress: Stop worrying about what the next meal is and start knowing what every meal provides! Save your brain the mental energy by planning in advance, so you can get back to enjoying in fact your day-to-day family life, instead! 

If you have yet to download Our FIVE page Vegan Grocery List please do so below!

Vegan Grocery Guide

Tips and Tricks For Meal Planning

 

My top tips and tricks…
  • Plan your meals first… and then make your grocery list. 
  • Don’t forget about snack time! Plan in a possible snack for the kids (and yourself!) that you can make ahead of time and store in the fridge. 
  • Ask your family for input. I love letting my kids pick out one or two meals weekly, so they feel included and excited to eat their choice. 
  • Keep it simple. Don’t make it complicated by trying to make four-course vegan meals every night, five-ingredient meals go a long way with the same satisfaction. 
  • Meal Prep When Needed. If you have time to cook every meal, that’s great! If you don’t meal prep in advance however as much as possible eventually, you won’t be able to avoid those hunger-induced temptations. 

 

Vegan Grocery Guide
Vegan Beet and Pomegranate Buddha Bowl
Vegan Beet and Pomegranate Bowl with Cashew Creme

Vegan Beet and Pomegranate Buddha Bowl with Cashew Creme Sauce

 

If you are looking for an absolutely gorgeous buddha bowl with a fun twist, look no further than this amazing Vegan Beet and Pomegranate Buddha Bowl. One of my favorite things about this bowl is that it can be made both raw and cooked; ready in under 5 minutes or just under 20 minutes! Simply choose which one you prefer and get slicing and dicing!

Read more

Vegan Beet and Pomegranate Buddha Bowl
peanut butter and jelly overnight oats
Vegan Overnight Oats: Three of Our Family Favorites

3 Easy and Delicious Vegan Overnight Oats

Breakfast has always been a very special time in our home; our family only has so many meals shared together due to Martin’s hectic work schedule and my adventurous needs to eat lunch and dinner near the river with my sons (all packed into cute bento boxes). Because of this, we try to make breakfast as special as possible.

Waffles, tofu scrambles, pancakes, scones, muffins and so much more. The options are endless but one thing is for sure, we always come back to the amazing vegan overnight oats. There is nothing better than waking up and having breakfast already prepared in the refrigerator; especially as a parent!

Read more

peanut butter and jelly overnight oats
5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread
5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread (Oil Free – Vegan – Gluten Free)

5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread

I created this amazing banana bread a few days ago on our Instagram stories and the messages I received were overwhelming but awesome! As always, you ask and I listen, so here is the recipe PLUS a video tutorial!

I have spent quite a while trying to perfect this banana bread because I absolutely love the pure and honest ingredients inside. I knew I could make it oil-free and I knew it would be delicious. Well, folks, I finally did it! Woohooo!!!

Watch how to make it at home here: 

Read more

5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread
The Creamiest Sunflower Seed Dressing
The Creamiest Sunflower Seed Dressing!

The Creamiest Sunflower Seed Dressing!!


Jump to Recipe


Today on the blog we will be sharing our new obsession: The creamiest and most delicious dressing made with soaked sunflower seeds! I have been adding a dollop of this creamy goodness to everything from salads, wraps and even my cabbage soup last night. It’s a serious kind of love going on over here.
Read more

The Creamiest Sunflower Seed Dressing
vegan soba noodle salad
Vegan Soba Noodle Salad in Under 10 Minutes!

Jump to Recipe

The weather is warming up (finally!) and I think it is time to bust out some delicious salads!!

The best part of this salad is the dressing – isn’t it always?! This dressing is made with peanut butter (can sub for any nut/seed butter), ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar. You will be HOOKED!

vegan soba noodle salad
Read morevegan soba noodle salad
gnocchi vegan
Homemade Vegan Gnocchi (WFPB)

Homemade Vegan Gnocchi

Dinner is served! Homemade Vegan Gnocchi is not only one of my absolute favorite pasta dishes, but it is one of my favorite meals under 20 minutes! You can use white potatoes, sweet potatoes, Okinawa potatoes and even pumpkin for this recipe! There are so many options and each one is its own masterpiece.

Healthy, Filling and Kiddo approved. Read more

gnocchi vegan