Summer tends to be a mix of backyard meals, road trips, afternoons outside and whatever is easiest to grab from the fridge. Here are a few drinks and snacks that fit into the season without making things complicated.
Homefield Brewery, formerly Central City Brewery, has refreshed three of its beer brands for summer drinking. Red Racer Craft Beer keeps its familiar West Coast style with updated packaging, while Beer League Lager is a 5% ABV craft lager made with those post-game, barbecue and patio moments in mind. For anyone cutting back on alcohol, Street Legal Dealcoholized Craft Beer is brewed as a regular craft beer before the alcohol is removed through cross-flow filtration, bringing it down to 0.5% ABV. Between the three, there is an option for a classic craft beer, an easy lager or something lower in alcohol without stepping completely away from beer.
Huer Foods has teamed up with Frank’s RedHot for a sweet and spicy take on gummy candy. The new Huer x Frank’s RedHot Spicy Gummy Bears come in six fruity flavours, including mango, cherry and pineapple, with each gummy coated in Frank’s RedHot Original Seasoning Blend. You get the chewy sweetness of a classic gummy bear first, followed by a bit of tang and heat. They are a fun one to put out for summer parties, road trips or anyone who has been getting into the sweet-and-spicy food trend.
Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs is an easy one to bring out with all the late-summer produce showing up at farmers markets right now. The creamy, garlicky cheese works with vegetables like peppers, zucchini and corn, or something sweeter like fresh figs. You can keep it simple with crackers and vegetables, or use it in dishes like Roasted Figs au Boursin, Ratatouille Stacks or Stuffed Mini Peppers. It is the kind of fridge staple that makes it easy to turn whatever you picked up at the market into a quick snack, appetizer or side.
Gibson’s Finest Canadian Whisky is one to keep in mind for simple summer drinks. The Gibson’s Sunshine Tea mixes whisky with iced tea and lemonade, which feels right for a warm afternoon. There is also the Gibson’s & Ginger with Sterling, ginger ale and lime, plus a whisky-based Caesar and Bold & Cola. Nothing too elaborate, just easy drinks for barbecues, cottage weekends or evenings outside.
Sanpellegrino CIAO! is the kind of drink that makes sense when it is properly hot out and you want something colder and more interesting than water. The flavoured sparkling water comes in Blood Orange, Lime, Peach and Cherry, with 15 calories or less per can. They are fruity without feeling heavy, and easy to throw in a cooler for the beach, a picnic or a backyard get-together.
MadeGood is handy for the days when everyone seems to need a snack at a different time. There are Trail Mix Organic Granola Bites, Strawberry Organic Granola Bites, Mornings Cinnamon Bun Soft Baked Bars and Chocolate Chip Soft Baked Mini Cookies. They are easy to pack for road trips and day outings, and since they are school-safe, they can carry over into the back-to-school season too.
