4 Things Coming to the Grocery Store This Summer — Eat This Not That

By Ghuman

Introduction

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy fresh, seasonal produce and other delicious treats. With the warmer weather comes an abundance of new items to the grocery store. From seasonal fruits and vegetables to new products and flavors, there is something for everyone. Here are four things coming to the grocery store this summer that you should definitely check out: seasonal fruits and vegetables, new products and flavors, plant-based options, and healthy snacks. Whether you’re looking for something to enjoy on a hot summer day or something to add to your weekly meal plan, these four items are sure to satisfy your cravings.

4 Things Coming to the Grocery Store This Summer — Eat This Not That

Summer is here and that means it’s time to stock up on all the delicious seasonal produce! From juicy peaches to sweet corn, there are plenty of delicious fruits and vegetables to choose from. But what about all the other items that are coming to the grocery store this summer? Here are four things to look out for when you’re shopping for your summer meals.

1. Grilled Veggies

Grilled veggies are a great way to add flavor and nutrition to your summer meals. Look for pre-grilled vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, and eggplant that are ready to be added to salads, sandwiches, and more. You can also find pre-marinated vegetables that are perfect for grilling on the BBQ.

2. Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

Frozen fruits and vegetables are a great way to get your daily servings of produce without having to worry about them going bad. Look for frozen fruits like strawberries, blueberries, and mangoes, as well as frozen vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and spinach. These are perfect for adding to smoothies, stir-fries, and more.

3. Plant-Based Meats

Plant-based meats are becoming increasingly popular, and they’re a great way to add protein to your meals without the saturated fat and cholesterol found in animal-based meats. Look for plant-based burgers, sausages, and more that are perfect for grilling on the BBQ. You can also find plant-based deli slices, which are perfect for sandwiches and wraps.

4. Alternative Milks

Alternative milks are a great way to get your daily calcium and protein without the saturated fat and cholesterol found in dairy milk. Look for plant-based milks like almond, coconut, and oat milk, as well as nut-based milks like cashew and macadamia nut milk. These are perfect for adding to smoothies, cereal, and more.

So, there you have it! These are just a few of the items coming to the grocery store this summer. Be sure to keep an eye out for these items when you’re shopping for your summer meals. Happy shopping!

Strolling through the grocery aisles isn’t always a painless process. But what starts as a quick trip to the market could easily turn into an hours-long ordeal, thanks to inflation, product shortages, and lengthy checkout lines. Grocery store brands have taken notice and are developing technological advancements to lighten the burden. As stores gear up to launch new tech innovations, the competition is heating up—just in time for summer.

Between video screens in the aisles and paying for groceries with just the palm of your hand, there are plenty of new things in store to elevate the customer experience. Check out some of these grocery store concepts that could make their way to a market near you soon.

RELATED: These Are Costco’s Most Popular Items Right Now

Grocery Video Screen H-E-B
Courtesy of The Looma Project

Video screens could grace the aisles of your local grocery store sooner than you think. The Loop tablet campaign is employing video screens that are stationed throughout the adult beverage sections of grocery stores. These tablets have a storytelling component that uses short videos to educate the shopper on a specific product, including both the people and the history behind the brand as a way to better engage with the customers.

H-E-B is the latest grocery store chain to roll out the tablets and join other supermarket companies like Schnucks, Lowes Foods, and Harris Teeter. Supermarket News reports that the stores that have participated in the campaign even saw a boost in sales. Marketing consultant company The Looma Project introduced these in-store smart tablets to the beer and wine sections of grocery stores and has since expanded its reach to 120 different stores.

Amazon Fresh
Shutterstock

While Amazon has dominated the e-commerce world, the company is also ramping up its tech advancements across its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go brick-and-mortar store chains. Some of the biggest developments include its Just Walk Out technology which seeks to completely eliminate the checkout line with its “Amazon One” feature, which reads the shopper’s palm of their hand. According to the Amazon One website, you simply “hover to enter, identify, and pay.”

But in case that’s not for you, Amazon also launched the “Dash Carts” that use sensors to track the items shoppers put inside the cart and then add the charges once you exit the store. All of this is in an effort to build shopper convenience in order to create an easier and much quicker shopping trip.

Amazon Cashierless
Shutterstock

Much like the cashier-less innovations from Amazon stores, other markets have begun to implement contactless payments to speed up the shopping process. Earlier this year, ALDI opened its first checkout-free supermarket in Greenwich, London, where customers can download the Aldi Shop & Go app, and like Amazon, charges will be applied once the customer leaves the store. ALDI took it a step further by employing facial recognition, and BBC reports that “The supermarket’s new site will also allow customers to buy alcohol, using facial-age estimation technology, to check whether they appear to be over the age of 25.”

For big-box stores like Sam’s Club, the retailer offers a “Scan & Go” feature that allows customers to have a frictionless shopping experience. Through the Sam’s Club app, shoppers can scan each item’s bar code, and present the digital receipt upon leaving the store. Not only does it cut out the checkout lines, but the feature also tracks spending with a built-in budgeting tool while you shop.

grocery store self serve
Shutterstock

It could be a zero-waste summer as sustainability efforts are increasing in a number of grocery stores. Both the concept of zero waste options and physical zero-waste stores have seen a rise in recent times, with more stores appearing throughout the U.S. Zero waste shopping seeks to eliminate plastic from the packaging of products by requiring customers to bring in their own reusable containers such as Tupperware, jars, and bags. Dried food and cleaning products are just some of the items that are available at these zero-waste grocery stores.

In case you want to find a store near you, Litterless provides a list of stores in every state in the U.S., as well as composting locations and other eco-friendly resources. For shoppers who aren’t near a zero-waste store, other environmentally-friendly stores like Whole Foods have banned plastic grocery bags, installed electric vehicle charging stations, and over 70 Whole Foods stores have solar roofs.

For right now, though, one item isn’t at stores at all. Here’s why Costco, Walmart, and Other Stores Still Have a Purchase Limit on This Disappearing Item.

Alex Perry

Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, Alex Perry joins “Eat This, Not That!” as a freelance writer. Read more