The Summer Glow Menu: What to Eat for Healthy, Radiant Skin
August Seasonal Journal – La Belle Saison
There’s something undeniably beautiful about summer skin—not perfection, but that healthy warmth that comes from sunshine, long walks to the market, and meals filled with colorful fruits and vegetables.
By August, summer has settled into its most generous rhythm. Market stalls overflow with tomatoes still warm from the sun, fragrant peaches, sweet melons, and handfuls of fresh herbs. It’s the season when eating well feels almost effortless—simply choosing what’s ripe is often enough. This month’s menu celebrates those late-summer ingredients.
The best part? These same foods are packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, healthy fats, and omega-3s that nourish the skin from within, supporting collagen production, hydration, and protection against everyday environmental stress.
Think of this as beauty, the French way: simple, seasonal, and delicious.
Foods for Your Summer Glow
While no food can replace sunscreen or create an instant tan, research suggests that eating a diet rich in carotenoids—the natural pigments that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant orange, red, and deep green colors—can subtly enhance skin tone over time, giving it a healthy golden glow.
🥕 Orange Vegetables
- carrots
- sweet potatoes
- pumpkin
- butternut squash
Rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. Some studies suggest carotenoids deposited in the skin can contribute to a warmer complexion while also supporting skin health.
🍅 Tomatoes, Watermelon
One of my favorites.
Cooked tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant associated with helping protect skin from UV-induced damage (though not a replacement for sunscreen). Watermelon contains hydrating water and skin-friendly nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A and lycopene.
Ideas:
- tomato tartines
- gazpacho – try my Magical Gazpacho with both tomato and watermelon!
- tomato salad with basil
- watermelon sorbet
🥭 Peaches, Apricots, Mango & Cantaloupe
These summer fruits provide:
- beta-carotene
- vitamin C
- hydration
Perfect for breakfast or afternoon snacks, and radiant skin.
🥬 Dark Leafy Greens
Don’t overlook green vegetables.
Spinach, kale, watercress and arugula contain carotenoids too—even if they aren’t orange.
🫐 Berries
Blueberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Loaded with antioxidants that support collagen and help fight oxidative stress.
🥑 Healthy Fats
Healthy skin needs fat.
Include:
- avocado
- olive oil
- walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds – all high in omega-3
- almonds
These help absorb carotenoids and support the skin barrier.
🐟 Omega-3 Rich Fish
- salmon
- sardines
- trout
- mackerel
Wonderful for maintaining hydrated, resilient skin.
☀️ Don’t forget:
- Cucumbers
- Bell peppers
- Corn
- Fresh basil & French herbs like thyme, rosemary and tarragon provide anti-inflammatory compounds
- Zucchini
- Eggplant
- Figs
- GoopGlow Superpowder – I had to mention, so delicious – drink your way to glowing skin!
🌿 Your Summer Glow Meal Plan – filled with skin loving recipes
Monday
Breakfast: Greek yogurt w/ apricots, walnuts & honey
Lunch: Tomato Salad with burrata, whole grain bread
Dinner: Carottes râpées*, Sunny Paris Salmon, herbed potatoes
Tuesday
Breakfast: Golden Glow Smoothie – new recipe below!
Lunch: Chickpea Green Goddess Salad – add any additional veggies you have on hand
Dinner: Chicken and sweet potatoes (see Chicken Parisian), spinach arugula salad
Wednesday
Breakfast: Berry yogurt parfait – layer yogurt, berries, cottage cheese & walnuts
Lunch: Magical Watermelon Tomato Gazpacho, Goat cheese tartine
Dinner: Seared Salmon with Green Beans & Tartar-style Sauce
Thursday
Breakfast: Golden Glow Smoothie
Lunch: Niçoise salad, Goop style 💗
Dinner: Chicken Paillard, frites
Friday
Breakfast: Cantaloupe, soft boiled eggs
Lunch: Caprese salad – add avocado slices – to change it up try substituting the tomatoes with beets 🌱
Dinner: Tarte Provencale
Dessert: Fresh berries with crème fraîche
Golden Glow Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup frozen mango chunks
- 1 medium carrot chopped
- 1 small orange peeled
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- ¼ tsp ground tumeric
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ cup ice cubes
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. If needed, add a splash more milk for a thinner consistency.Pour into a chilled glass and enjoy immediately.
Notes
One of the things I love about French cooking is that it has never chased perfection. Beautiful skin isn’t created by one “superfood” or a restrictive diet—it reflects a way of eating that celebrates colorful produce, healthy fats, good protein, and the pleasure of sitting down to a nourishing meal.
🌻 A New Closing Ritual
I think August deserves its own little ritual:
A Late Summer Ritual
Visit the market without a shopping list. Buy the ripest tomatoes you can find, a basket of peaches, and a bouquet of fresh basil. Set the table outside if you can—even if it’s only on a small balcony. Eat slowly, stay a little longer after the meal, and let the evening stretch into dusk. These are the moments that make summer linger.
Can you picture that? It feels like Provence and Paris had a quiet little meeting over dinner.
À bientôt ☀️
* Parisians love their carrot salad, it can be found in different variations all over Paris. Fresh carrot juice is also a great option for glow.
* one more note: please revisit my past summer blog from 2020 for some joyful inspiration, and a Joyeux Zucchini Lasagna that you must try before the end of summer. Feel the glow, and the healthy 🌞