This post filled with blueberry ideas was originally a sponsored post. We all need more ideas on how to use blueberries when they’re fresh and in season in the summer – especially if you have gone blueberry picking!
Five Great Ways to Enjoy Blueberries
Make blueberry pancakes
When the wee ones ask me to make pancakes for breakfast on days when we don’t have to run out the door, I’m likely to agree. My tip? Make pancakes and store them in the fridge with parchment paper separating them, then toast them when you want them!
They always want “special” pancakes, since they’re a treat. To them, that means they get chocolate chip pancakes. And then they put syrup on top of the pancakes.
This weekend, I made an unannounced change. Instead of adding chocolate chips to the pancakes as they cooked, I dropped in blueberries from the supply I keep in my fridge.
The naturally sweet blueberries were so tasty that no one asked for syrup, and I didn’t offer it. Fruit instead of chocolate and syrup? Yes, please!
And when Little Miss saw me making blueberries, she couldn’t help but steal some. I wasn’t about to stop her – and this is why I always buy the big containers (more than one, of course) – since I knew I had plenty.
Need a great blueberry pancake recipe? Use that one, and make them from scratch, as it’s far easier and they always taste better!
Enjoy fresh blueberries as dessert
“Stealing” blueberries is a perfect snack, too. When I lived in the city, I used to frequent the farmer’s market near me every week. There was a guy who had the best blueberries, and I would buy three pints every time.
The first pint would be gone before I got home. Every time. The second pint I would finish before the day was out, then I’d have to ration that third pint for the rest of the week, generally unsuccessfully. Plain blueberries as a snack? I’m still all over it.
Blueberries you pick yourself or from a farmer’s market always taste better than the ones from the grocery store. They are fresher and a better quality and flat out have more flavor.
I’ve been enjoying them plain, of course, but on the days when I want to have something that feels more like a “true” dessert in the American style, I’ll pull out a little of my pineapple curd and dip blueberries in the curd. I’ll eat maybe a tablespoon of the curd with a bowl of blueberries, as the pineapple curd’s flavor is strong enough that you just need a little.
Make Blueberry Overnight Oats
As much as I try to do the healthy thing and make myself a smoothie every morning (yes, often with blueberries), too often I’ve been busy or running or just plain lazy. That’s when I grab whatever’s at hand.
Thursday, I’ll admit to eating the last four Christmas cookies in the house for breakfast. That’s just not good. Instead, I’m going back to one of my favorites – overnight oatmeal.
Overnight oatmeal is so easy to make and it’s a perfect grab and go breakfast. I just add a half cup of oats to a jar then cover with three quarters of a cup of milk.
I’ll toss in some of my fresh blueberries, then put it in the fridge after I’ve cleaned up from dinner. I’m just not a morning person, so anything I can do to streamline my morning is a huge help.
The oatmeal absorbs the milk overnight (thus… overnight oatmeal!) and by the time I wake up and am ready to eat, the oats are soft with just a little milk and then the blueberries for some added texture and flavor. Sometimes, I’ll add a little (like a quarter teaspoon little) bit of brown sugar in the morning, but it’s yummy to me just as is.
And yes, I eat it cold most of the time – you did get that part about me not being a morning person, right? Sometimes I’ll heat it up, but it really doesn’t even need that to make overnight oatmeal with blueberries a perfect breakfast.
Another great option is to add them to your chia seeds, especially if you do a chia pudding. If you’ve never use chia before, you can incorporate them into so many things once you learn how to eat chia seeds.
Use Blueberries to Make a Coffee Cake
My mom is not a good baker or cook, but a tradition for my family is to make this blueberry coffee cake for every special occasion. This one is so simple that it turns out perfectly every time she makes it.
This makes a perfect brunch on the weekends, and you can even enjoy it for dessert, as the streusel topping is a lovely sweet treat. Enjoy the leftovers for breakfast or a snack for the next few days, and you’re all set.
This recipe actually works well with both fresh and frozen blueberries, so you can enjoy them all year round. This is always a hit, no matter who I make it for.
Turn Your Blueberries Into a Crisp
Blueberries are in season at the same time as peaches. The flavors of the two summer fruits complement each other perfectly.
I actually top my homemade peach frozen yogurt and ice cream with fresh blueberries. But no one can resist a fruit crisp. The fresh fruit and the crunchy streusel topping screams summer, and it’s another incredibly easy recipe to make.
In fact, the hardest part is waiting for it to cool. When you make this blueberry peach crisp, you need to let it sit so that the fruit filling comes together and doesn’t dribble out as you eat it. And yes, this one works best with fresh fruit, though again you can use frozen if you need to.
Why Eat Fresh Blueberries?
Blueberries are so packed full of nutrients. They’re easy to eat and taste so good just by themselves. There are just 80 calories in a cup, which makes them a perfect substitute for more high-calorie options.
There are also 3.6 grams of fiber per cup size serving, and I’m always looking to get more fiber. When it isn’t blueberry season for blueberries grown in the States, it’s the perfect time for blueberries from Chile, Argentina, and Peru. Or buy frozen or dried blueberries, both of which I have at my house, too.
I’ve never made overnight oatmeal, but I absolutely LOVE blueberries. Now I think I need to make the oatmeal…just so that I can throw in a bunch of berries. Thanks for sharing! 🙂