Oregon berries are in season! Summer is a good time to take advantage of lower costs and a higher availability at stores, farmers markets and U-pick farms. While berries are delicious on their own, there are many ways to use them to stretch your food dollars. You can add them to smoothies, desserts and salads, or freeze them so they’re available year-round. This blog will give you plenty of options to enjoy berries!
Before eating or using berries, make sure to wash them properly. Check out Food Hero’s Guide to Rinsing Produce for more information.
Frozen for Year-Round Fun!
Berries are the most abundant and affordable during the summer months. To make sure you have berries you can enjoy year-round, freeze them! Berries can last in the freezer for 8-12 months, so make sure to date the container you place them in. To learn how to properly freeze berries, check out our Food Hero Monthly on Freezing Fruit.
Baked Goods
Use berries to add flavor and nutrition to your favorite baked breakfasts, snacks and desserts. Food Hero has several recipes featuring berries.
- Use fresh berries in recipes like Raspberry Oatmeal Bars and Rhubarb Blueberry Crisp.
- Use fresh or frozen berries in recipes like Baked Berry Oatmeal and Whole-Wheat Blueberry Muffins.
Flavored Water
After making one of our delicious berry recipes, you might have some leftover berries. Instead of tossing them or letting them go bad, use them to flavor water! This is a great way to add some sweetness to your water and stay hydrated during the warm summer months. Read more about flavored water in our Food Hero Monthly called Drink Water Your Way.
Sweet Salads
Try adding berries to your salads! The sweetness of berries pairs well with greens and vegetables. Or make a fruit salad for dessert! Here are some great salad recipes that include fruit:
Delicious Dips
Dips are a fun and yummy way to enjoy your favorite fruits. Dips can be made with fresh or frozen berries. Try recipes such as Any Berry Sauce, Strawberry Salsa and Raspberry Fruit Dip. Add berries to top off Yogurt Fruit Dip for added flavor and sweetness.
Vibrant Vinaigrettes
To add some sweetness to your favorite vinaigrettes, try them with berries! Food Hero’s Pomegranate Vinaigrette can also be made with raspberries. Interested in adding some sweetness to our Red Wine Vinaigrette? Experiment with adding different types of berries to find a flavor you enjoy.
Soothing Smoothies
Berries can be added to smoothies! Get creative making your own or try some of our favorites like Banana Berry Smoothie, Un-beet-able Berry Smoothie or Blueberry Tofu Smoothie.
Beautiful Breakfasts
Add berries to any breakfast for a boost of color and nutrition. Food Hero has quick and tasty recipes for you to enjoy, such as:
We hope you are able to enjoy delicious berries this summer. Make sure to check local U-pick farms, farmers markets, grocery stores and co-ops to find the best prices on berries.
Food Hero is a social marketing initiative of the Oregon Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) program, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service in collaboration with the Oregon State University Extension Service and the Oregon Department of Human Services.