Beating the Heat This Summer

(Updated: July 1, 2026, 1:45 p.m.)
Smoothie fruits and vegetables in and around a blender. Ingredients for a smoothie.

As the temperatures rise, it’s essential to keep your body hydrated and refreshed. According to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, drinking water helps to keep you from overheating, lubricates the joints and tissues, maintains healthy skin, and is necessary for proper digestion.

One way to quench your thirst and beat the heat is by eating high-water content foods. Adding in water-rich foods like lettuce, watermelon, and cucumbers are great sources of needed vitamins and staying hydrated in the warmer months. The best part is you can buy all these items with your SNAP benefits as fresh, canned, and frozen produce.

SNAP stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and was formerly known as “food stamps.” In North Carolina it is also called Food and Nutrition Services (FNS).

To get you started, below are partial lists of fruits, vegetables, and beverages that can help to add high-water content foods to your diet. Each category will also include a recipe for you to try at home. All ingredients in these recipes are SNAP-eligible.

FRUITS

A star indicates fresh seasonal availability in North Carolina during the summer:

  • Watermelon*
  • Strawberries*
  • Oranges
  • Pineapple
  • Cantaloupe*
  • Pears
  • Blueberries*

Summer Fruit Salad

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Facts:

Recipe and nutritional facts accessed at: https://www.eazypeazymealz.com/summer-fruit-salad/#recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups pineapple (diced)
  • 1 cup strawberries (diced)
  • ½ cup blueberries
  • 2 kiwis (diced)
  • 1 can mandarin oranges (11 ounces)
  • Dressing/Glaze:
    • 1/3 cup mandarin orange juice
    • ½ a lime juiced
    • 1 tsp honey (optional)

Directions

  1. Dice all fruit and put in a large bowl.
  2. Mix dressing/glaze ingredients together and whisk.
  3. Just before serving, pour dressing over fruit.
  4. Toss well, serve immediately.
  5. Enjoy!

VEGETABLES

Star indicates fresh seasonal availability in North Carolina during the summer:

  • Lettuce
  • Cucumbers*
  • Cabbage*
  • Celery*
  • Carrots
  • Tomatoes*
  • Zucchini*
  • Bell Peppers*

Cucumber Tomato Salad

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Facts:

Recipe and nutritional facts accessed at: https://www.spendwithpennies.com/cucumber-tomato-salad/#wprm-recipe-container-156832

Ingredients

  • 1 long English cucumber (sliced)
  • 2-3 large tomatoes (diced)
  • ½ red onion (sliced)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh herbs (parsley, basil, and/or dill, optional)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss well.
  2. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes before serving.
  3. Enjoy!

BEVERAGES

If you are looking for creative ways to stay hydrated this summer, aim for fruit infused waters, tea, smoothies, and juices with lite sugar. Other examples include:

  • Fruit smoothies
  • Coconut water
  • Watermelon infused water
  • Cucumber water
  • Homemade iced tea

Blueberry and Lemon Iced Tea

Makes 1 pitcher.

Nutritional Facts:

Recipe and nutritional facts accessed at: https://www.archanaskitchen.com/blueberry-and-lemon-iced-tea-recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup blueberries, or any locally available berries
  • 3 tea bags
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup sugar, to taste
  • Lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
  • Ice cubes
  • Lemon (sliced and mint to garnish)

Directions

  1. In a saucepan, add the sugar, lemon juice, and blueberries.
  2. Cook the berries on low heat until the sugar has dissolved, and the blueberries are mushy.
  3. Add the water to the above mixture and bring it to boil.
  4. Once the water comes to a boil, add the tea bags, and allow to steep for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
  5. Strain the entire mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
  6. Using the back of a spoon squeeze out the juices from the berries and the tea.
  7. Once all the juices have been extracted, pour the blueberry and lemon iced tea into a pitcher and refrigerate the tea for about an hour or more.
  8. When you are ready to serve, pour the blueberry and lemon iced tea into the serving glasses, add a few ice cubes and garnish with mint leaves and sliced lemon.

SNAP Assistance

As mentioned above, SNAP assists millions of North Carolinians who are eligible depending on their household’s size and combined gross income.

If you want to learn more about SNAP/FNS or would like assistance with the application, contact the More In My Basket team. They are available to answer your questions Monday through Friday, from 8 am until 5 pm. You can reach them by calling 1-855-240-1451 toll-free or visiting their website at morefood.org.

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Written By
Jonathon Smith profile picture
Jonathon Smith
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Ivelisse Colón