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I didn’t have a clue what powder mildew was when I started my spring/summer garden, but I very quickly learned what it was and how quickly it spreads. It totally destroyed half of my garden, including all of my yellow squash, zucchini, and butternut squash. Bummer. 🙁 So unfortunately I’m not getting to enjoy fresh-from-the-garden squash, but we are still enjoying it from the grocery store.

Hence the name, summer is the season for yellow squash and zucchini. Summer squash is high in vitamin C and low in calories like all veggies. At the grocery store choose squash that are less than 8 inches long. Bigger is not always better. The larger they get the more bitter they become. Make sure the squash are firm and have bright colors. Once you bring it home, refrigerate it. It should stay good for 3-5 days.

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Our favorite way to cook squash is grilling. Simply slice it in half lengthwise and place on the grill for 5-10 minutes. Super easy and super yummy. You can also steam, roast, or saute squash as well. I don’t recommend boiling it, because you do lose a lot of the nutrients.

Summer squash has a mild flavor so you can add a variety of seasonings when you cook it like basil or rosemary. Another way to incorporate summer squash into your kids’ food is by grating squash over salads, sandwiches, or pastas. Try it raw with your favorite dip or be adventurous and try zucchine bread. (I promise no one will believe you that there is zucchini in it.)  Here are a couple of recipes if you want to give it a try – Allrecipes and Smitten Kitchen. If you haven’t tried cooking it a variety of ways, I encourage you to give it all a try.

Let me know, what is your favorite way to eat summer squash?