Summer is right around the corner, and warm weather always brings a whole new roster of exciting culinary possibilities along with it. Here’s our list of the must-do activities that every food lover should sample during the summer months.

Get Cooking

Now is the time to experiment with new recipes—or even create your own. Take advantage of all that fresh produce to create unforgettable salad combinations. Summer days are long, which gives you plenty of time to prepare home-cooked meals from scratch.

Don’t forget to fire up the grill as often as possible, either. You can easily plan an entire multi-course meal around an open fire. Start with an appetizer of grilled Halloumi with grapes, lemon zest, and fresh herbs; enjoy a light main course of grilled steak, corn, and red peppers with romaine lettuce and a light vinaigrette; and finish with grilled pineapple and toasted coconut served over vanilla ice cream.

Create a Summer Cocktail or Mocktail

Your experimentation doesn’t have to be limited to the plate. You can get just as creative with what’s in your glass. Muddle fresh herbs with a bit of sugar, add a handful of whatever berries are ripest, and top with ice and soda water for a flavorful mocktail. If you’d prefer a little kick, add vodka or gin along with the soda water.

Host a Dinner Party

Folks are getting more comfortable when it comes to social gatherings, so why not make up for lost time by having a group of friends over for the evening? Plan a menu that will allow you plenty of time to mingle. If everyone in your group likes seafood, set out shrimp cocktail as an appetizer before moving on to a main course of steamed lobster and corn on the cob.

For smaller gatherings, make up a few themed menus—Mexican fiesta, Italian pasta buffet, French bistro—and send them out along with the invitations. Encourage your guests to work together to choose one, then plan the evening accordingly. You can even use festive music and party decorations to create a fully immersive experience.

Take a Food Tour

Check your local newspaper (the information should also be available online) to find out if there are any food tours being held nearby. This activity consists of walking around the neighborhood and browsing the local restaurants and food shops. Often, chefs will step out of the kitchen to offer a demonstration of their skills. You can learn a lot about the area’s culinary history—and wind up with a few tasty samples to boot.

Visit Your Local Farmer’s Market

Making a weekly (or biweekly) trip to the farmer’s market is a great way to plan veggie-centric meals. Of course, there are usually some non-vegetable items available for sale as well—we’ve seen everything from floral arrangements to locally raised beef to sun-brewed raspberry tea. You’ll probably end up with a few tempting ingredients that weren’t on your list, which is all part of the fun.

Support Local Restaurants

If you found yourself steering clear of restaurants during the pandemic, you aren’t alone. Once you feel more comfortable, check out what your favorite establishments have been up to in the meantime. Some might have been shut down for the duration, which could mean that they’re updated their menus or renovated the space. Look for places that offer open-air seating if you’re still apprehensive about dining indoors—or if you simply want to enjoy the warmer temps.

Pick Your Own Fruit

There’s something innately satisfying about gathering your own food, even if it’s as simple as plucking a few strawberries off their cultivated stems. As the season progresses, you’ll be presented with even more options: fresh raspberries and juicy peaches in August, round ripe apples in September. You can make the bounty last even longer if you try your hand at canning.

Create a S’mores Bar

Graham crackers and milk chocolate go perfectly with toasted marshmallows, which is why s’mores are an enduring campfire staple. Switch it up at your next cookout by offering a few different ingredients alongside the classics: pretzel thins and shortbread cookies, Reese’s peanut butter cups and Mounds bars, Nutella and almond butter. Make sure there are plenty of skewers on hand—even adults who initially scoff at the idea might find themselves drawn in to the fun.

Make Your Own Ice Cream Sandwiches

Similarly, there’s no rule that says ice cream sandwiches need to come from a box. Try combining some of your favorite cookie recipes with a complementary ice cream flavor. Chocolate chip cookies go great with salted caramel gelato, while lemon sorbet makes a superb filling for gingersnaps. If you’re short on time, you can swap in store-bought cookies for homemade ones.

Pay it Forward

As much as we enjoy fine food, it’s important to remember that not everyone is so lucky. Many people have a hard time just scraping up enough money for the week’s groceries, and some can’t even manage that much. Show your gratitude by supporting a hunger relief effort, even if it’s as simple as making a donation to a food pantry or homeless shelter.

Take Your Picnic To New Heights

With the advent of gourmet picnics, the old fried-chicken-in-a-wicker-basket routine is quickly becoming a thing of the past. The concept originated with Atlanta’s Elevated Picnics experience, but copycat businesses can be found in a number of places.

These events take place at scheduled times, much like a dinner reservation. All you have to do is contact the company with the size of your party and any dietary restrictions you might have, then show up to the address they provide. You don’t have to cook or clean up afterward. Just enjoy the experience—and be sure to take lots of photos to post on social media.

Expand Your Horizons

Have you always wanted to try authentic Turkish cuisine, but never had the nerve to create a whole menu around it? Is there an ethnic restaurant nearby that you’ve been dying to check out? Take the plunge this summer by sampling the exotic flavors of another culture at least one night per week.

Recreate Those Fair Flavors

For some reason, French fries always smell and taste better at the fair. Then there are those fairground staples that you can’t find anywhere else—funnel cakes, fried Oreos, corn dogs, and the like. Why not attempt to recreate them at home? Ask your family to list their favorites, then google the results and get to work. You might have to invest in some new kitchen equipment, but that’s all the more reason to make “Fair Food Night” a regular occurrence.

Create a Virtual Cookbook

You can use a simple Google spreadsheet to share your favorite recipes with friends and family. Create a document that includes ingredient lists, directions, photos, and any relevant tips. Encourage your loved ones to do the same, then share the results of your experiments. This can be a wonderful bonding ritual, especially if you aren’t able to get together in person.

Hone Your Skills

No matter how experienced you are in the kitchen, there’s always room for improvement. Are there any cooking classes available near you? What about bartending or mixology courses? If you can’t find anything locally, there are tons of great resources online for budding chefs who want to learn new skills.

In Conclusion

Don’t let the summer pass you by without taking advantage of the many opportunities it offers. Even if you weren’t a devoted foodie before, these experiences might just bring out the epicure in you.