I'm trying to eat healthier and spend less at the supermarket. I noticed that in August there are tons of seasonal vegetables on sale, but I don't have ideas for how to keep from making the same thing all the time. What can I combine so it doesn't get boring?
The key thing is to play with textures and flavors so it doesn't feel repetitive: mix raw vegetables with some roasted or sautéed ones, add crunchy stuff like seeds or nuts, and switch up the dressings. In August you've got tomatoes, squash, eggplant, corn, and peppers at their peak and at good prices, so take advantage of that. You can make a salad with raw tomato + roasted squash + red onion + fresh cheese and a vinaigrette, or put together something totally different with sautéed eggplant + corn + pepper + a squeeze of lemon. The thing is not to stick with the same combination; even changing the dressing each time (one day lemon and oil, another day mustard, another balsamic vinegar if your budget allows) makes a difference without spending much more.
The cheapest combinations are the ones that mix whatever's on sale each week. In August you'll typically find tomato, zucchini, eggplant, corn, and lettuce at good prices. What I do is put together three or four different base salads and rotate them: one with tomato and raw red onion with a bit of cilantro if you can find it cheap, another with roasted zucchini (you just pan-fry it with a little oil and it's done in minutes) mixed with fresh lettuce, and a third combining roasted eggplant with tomato. The trick is that roasting gives the same vegetable a completely different flavor than if you'd eat it raw.
So it doesn't get boring without spending more, add cheap textures: a handful of unsalted sunflower seeds, canned chickpeas (they last forever and are super cheap), or if you find eggs at a good price, a couple of chopped hard-boiled eggs. A simple vinaigrette with lemon, oil and salt works magic and costs you almost nothing. You can also just vary the dressing on the same base salad: one day lemon and garlic, another day with a bit of mustard if you have it, another with vinegar.
The important thing is don't fall into the trap of thinking you need exotic ingredients. With three or four seasonal vegetables, rotating how you prepare them (raw vs roasted) and changing what you put on top, you've got enough for the whole week without repeating the exact same thing and without breaking the bank.
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