The tomatoes aren’t mealy. The corn is actually sweet. Our local farmer’s market is teeming with some of the best stuff around. Read on for what’s ripe, what you should be stocking up on, and tips and tools for preparing it.

Tomatoes

It’s finally tomato time, which means we’ll be consuming enough tomatoes this month to hold us over for the entire year. Out of season tomatoes are often bland and grainy, but not the ones you’ll find in August. Whether it’s beefsteak, plum, heirloom, cherry or grape, tomatoes this time of year are packed with flavor, intense color and only need a little bit of salt when eating them on their own. You can also catch us eating them sliced on bread with a layer of mayonnaise or tossing them with olive oil, mozzarella and basil for an easy caprese salad. Only used half a tomato? Keep them fresh even after you cut them with a Cut & Keep Silicone Tomato Saver. If you want to peel your tomatoes for homemade sauce, a serrated peeler will make easy work of it.

Corn

Corn is another August gamechanger. The kernels are sweet and juicy, and only need some butter and salt. If the grill is hot, stick the ears right on (with the husks). If you’re indoors, boil the corn without the husks for 4-5 minutes. It’s great straight off the cob or peeled and tossed in a salad, too. Try our five delicious ideas for eating corn this summer.

Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe is at its peak this time of year. It’s juicy (can you take the hint? August is a good month!), fragrant and much more refreshing than the melon you’ll find the rest of the year. We can eat cantaloupe cut up on its own, paired with salty prosciutto, balled for a nicer presentation or even sliced for a salad, like how how our blogger-friend Bijouxs does it.

Blueberries

It’s hard not to finish a carton of blueberries in one sitting, let alone save them for pies or muffins, but if your farmer’s market has lots of fresh blueberries, you should stock up! Blueberries are sweeter in August and a bit smaller, but don’t be leery of the little ones—it just means they’re wild blueberries and totally natural.

And don’t worry about overstocking on August fruits and vegetables, you can always quick-pickle your summer produce to enjoy it in the cooler months. Plus, more tips on how to prepare your farmer’s market haul.