Summer Season Feature: Summer Squash

This week’s featured summer season food item is summer squash. Summer squash are characterized by having an edible rind. There is a variety of summer squashes, such as zucchini, pattypan squash, straightneck squash (yellow squash), crookneck squash (yellow squash), and cousa squash. The varieties you may be most familiar with include zucchini and both varieties of yellow squash. Summer squash are picked while they are still immature, making their skin and seeds edible. Because summer squash are picked while being immature, they are highly perishable and should be eaten within a few days of having them at home.

Summer squash is native to the Americas. Based on archaeological finds, summer squash may have originated in present day Central America and Mexico as far back at 7000 BC. Summer squash is a low calorie food that is full of fiber, keeping you full for longer periods of time. Most of the nutrients are found in the skin of summer squash. Both zucchini and yellow squash are good sources of Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Yellow squash and zucchini also contain potassium, manganese, folate, phosphorus, magnesium, and copper.

Yellow squash is eaten in a plethora of ways in both its raw form and cooked form. It can be cut up and put into a salad. Squash discs can be oiled and seasoned and thrown on the grill. It might be sauteed in a pan with onions and seasonings. Squash might be spiralized into noodles and used as a pasta replacement. Some people pickle squash in their favorite pickling liquid. Squash is also steamed on the stove top or roasted in the oven. With the popularity of air fryers, you can even find recipes for air fried summer squash online.

What are your favorite types of summer squash? What are your favorite ways to eat summer squash?