Wait, summer’s almost over?!
How can that possibly be? Unfortunately, the final days of summer are approaching as we tick closer to autumn. It’s not all bad though, autumn is chili season after all!
However, we are still bummed out about having to pack our shorts and flip flops back away for the year. We will definitely miss that sweet sunshine and summer breeze too.
But that isn’t the mindset we want to have right now – we want to soak up every last little bit of summer while we still can! We put together a little list of summer activities you absolutely must do before it’s too late! If you’ve already checked some of these off your list already, why not do them again? After all, there isn’t much time left to do them.
Have a picnic
Picnics are the king of summer activities. Nothing is better than packing a picnic for two or a small group, going to the park and enjoying a delicious lunch in the sunshine. With the weather staying nice while the temperature cools slightly, now is a perfect time.
So what are you going to need: picnic basket, blanket, cool drinks and good eats. Picnic food needs to be simple, pre-prepared and easily packed since you’ll be hauling in around. That means sandwiches, salads, dips and finger food are the perfect menu items. We recently did a roundup of some delicious recipes for your picnic to help you get some ideas. It is also hard to go wrong with simple cold salads like our Greek Tuna Salad with Garbanzo Beans and Garbanzo Chicken Salad or some convenient prepared-ahead salads in their own nifty Randall Beans jars.
Take a road trip
There’s nothing like packing a bag for the weekend and hitting the open road! Before summer ends, treat yourself to a little vacation with a loved one, group of friends or your family. When it comes to car travel, summer is the best time, seeing that winter travel is always dicey.
Plot out your trip, put the windows or top down, get some good tunes and hit the highway for adventure. Whether it’s just a trip down the coast, a shorter trip to visit relatives, a cross-country haul or a long-overdue trip to one of America’s many historical locations or parks, there is no better time than right now. Not sure where to go? You can always make the trip to Miller’s Cove to visit us at Open Spigot Farm.
Grill up something good
Even if you’ve grilled out already, there’s always time for one last cookout. Stock up on food and drinks and invite all your friends and family over for a summer send-off with great food and great times together. And don’t forget to break out the lawn games!
Typical grilling food is always burgers, brats, chicken and ribs, but there is so much more! Grilling veggies or preparing bean burgers is a great way of offering healthy alternatives. And don’t forget the baked beans! There are plenty of great cookout side dishes, but there isn’t a more traditional than baked beans. Here’s some other tips for healthy grilling.
Check out the farmer’s market
Spring and summer brings with it the harvest of fresh, local and organic crops and produce for farms across the country. Often, you can find and purchase the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor at your local farmer’s market. Farmer’s markets typically run through the end of August and sometimes into September, so you’ve still got time.
Farmer’s markets are incredible! You get the opportunity to support local farmers while trying delicious, and sometimes peculiar, homemade goods. It’s also a great way to get motivated and get an early start on Saturday mornings. Go to the farmer’s market, do some shopping and use your start to have a productive Saturday! Win-win.
Whether you’re hitting the road, packing for a picnic or firing up the grill, you’ll need some good food to bring along. Randall Beans are delicious, healthy and versatile. You can find us all over the mid west. But if they aren’t in a store near you, you can always order them online and have them shipped straight to your door.
