If the oppressive heat hasn’t been enough of an indicator, summer has officially arrived. And while things may be feeling humid and muggy for a significant portion of the U.S., there are always those perfect July, August and September days with a subtle breeze, shade-casting clouds,and melodic songbirds that call for a picnic or barbecue.
A quick trip to any major grocery store will present any shopper with thousands of familiar outdoor-friendly options — many of which we have taste-tested and ranked on TODAY.com — but it’s important to expand your horizons and support smaller businesses that may not always have the benefit of prime-shelf real estate.
So, we’ve rounded up seven of our current favorite companies (which also happen to be dedicated to sustainability) that place an emphasis on locally sourced, high-quality ingredients and artisanal, small-batch production methods. If love is in the details, their products are essentially beating hearts.
Hot dogs
KC Cattle Co. Wagyu Hot Dogs
Veteran-owned-and-operated KC Cattle Company specializes in all types of premium meat cuts, but it’s the wagyu beef hot dog that has people barking — er, talking. These gourmet franks, scored a glowing review by Food & Wine magazine, are best served warm (and not charred!), so as to not lose the signature buttery flavor. Plop them on a bun with ketchup, dip them in a fancy mustard, or simply enjoy them on their own — they really don’t need anything except a plate and an appetite.
Hot sauce
Tia Lupita Chipotle
Tia Lupita owner Hector Saldivar had a mission to share his beloved mother’s hot sauce with the world after she would send him bottles from Mexico. The taste of home became an instant hit with his friends in San Francisco, so he knew it would have mass appeal if packaged and distributed to the rest of the country. And Saldivar’s instincts were spot on — the brand now boasts an impressive line of hot sauces, salsas, and grain-free tortilla chips, with the O.G. red jalapeño blend sitting front and center. One of our personal favorites is the chipotle variety, which offers a smokier, sweeter departure from the typical condiments you find on the market.
Pickles
The Real Dill Caraway Garlic Dills
There is nothing more satisfying than the crunch of a juicy pickle and Denver-based The Real Dill wows with a trio of innovative and unique flavors: Jalapeño Honey, Caraway Garlic and Habanero Horseradish. You can, of course, use them to top meat or chop 'em up in a summer salad, but we prefer to eat them straight out of the jar. And if you become an instant fan of the company’s recipes (which is inevitable), you’ll really love its uber-popular bloody mary mix that pairs perfectly with — you guessed it — one of its gourmet pickles.
Salsa
La Fundidora Fresca Salsa
The beauty of La Fundidora salsa is its versatility. Practically any of the brand’s five jars can be used on cheeseburgers, grilled cheeses, scrambled eggs and even pizza. The company also incorporate ingredients like tomatillos, serrano chiles, charred jalapeño and mora chiles which allows it to stand apart from the basic, preservative-laden jars you find in grocery stores. And the freshness is unparalleled, thanks to the company’s commitment to making only small-batch, traditional products by hand using only ethically sourced ingredients with zero additives. For those with dietary restrictions, it’s a product you can feel good about.
Potato chips
Route 11 Chips Chesapeake Crab
Kettle-cooked chips reign supreme when it comes to fried potatoes, thanks to their craveworthy crunch and harmonious balance of oil and salt. But some brands offer a product that is almost too aggressive and even dangerous to the gums and roof of the mouth, making the eating experience less enjoyable as you gnaw your way through spuds that are, for lack of a better term, too sharp. Route 11 chips are the exception by producing a flawlessly palatable snack utilizing only the most natural of ingredients and most time-intensive of cooking processes. In fact, they trademarked the term “unhurried potatoes” to allude to their small-batch production facility that focuses more on consistent quality instead of quick mass production. Flavor standouts include Dill Pickle, Sour Cream and Chive, and summer-friendly Chesapeake Crab, which can be purchased in three-pound tins for any outdoor summer soiree.
Ice cream
Graeter's Madagascar Vanilla
Graeter's Black Raspberry Chocolate
If you’re from Ohio, you know all about Graeter’s, the 150-year-old family-owned ice cream shop that serves up decadently creamy scoops in shops and freezer aisles year-round. While its signature and most popular flavor, Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, is deserving of all the fanfare and accolades with fresh Oregon-grown black raspberries, we were beyond impressed with the brand’s simple Madagascar Vanilla Bean. Made with ground vanilla beans and pure vanilla extract, the flavor is, as Graeter’s says, “anything but plain,” and a perfect base to whatever topping your heart or stomach desires.
Honey
All Things Honey & More Chocolate Honey
Boston-based chef Joseph Leonardi has a passion for plants, so it was no surprise that he started apiaries to house one of the most essential components of successful farming: bees. And what do bees produce? Honey, of course. But Leonardi isn’t just any ol’ honey producer. Instead, he has found a way to infuse it with flavors like chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, black truffle and elderberry. Spoon it directly from the jar for a boost in immunity or drizzle some over that Graeter’s vanilla ice cream for an even sweeter, more decadent treat.