Who doesn't love a ripe, red summer tomato sliced thick with just a little salt?
July, August and September are when field (as opposed to hothouse), tomatoes start popping up everywhere," says James Parker, facility team leader for the global produce-buying office of Whole Foods Market. "There are more varieties, and the quality is much better because they are vine-ripened and produced close to where you live."
Start looking for them in mid to late July, he says. While the prices will be about the same as last month, you'll likely find larger cartons, along with better-quality fruit, he says.
Summer melons are good values in July, too. Look for your best prices after the July Fourth holiday -- and especially toward the end of the month when July heat means "the sugar content becomes incredible," says Parker.