For food bloggers and food content creators, August email newsletters can be a little challenging. Not because of a lack of content but because we’re bridgingtwo very different seasons.
August is an awkward month for food content emails. We’re in the heart of summer vacation and the hottest weather of the year but at the same time, back-to-school is right around the corner. In many parts of the US and eastern Canada, kids go back to school as early as mid August.
So… some people are looking for back to school content and others aren’t even opening their emails as they soak up their last few days of freedom.
Much of July’s content suggestions, particularly canning and preserving, outdoor entertaining and cool kitchen ideas are still relevant for August (get the full July list here).
Note that for 2024, Labour Day lands on September 2 which makes it very early. That means everyone will be starting to prep for Back to School during the last week of August.
SEASONAL HOLIDAYS:
Labour Day (the first Monday in September), other civic holiday long weekends
one last kick at the can for summer – this is a popular weekend for having friends over and entertaining outdoors. For many people this is their second New Year’s Eve as school and regular work routines resume after the weekend and summer unofficially comes to a close
SEASONAL FOOD & CONTENT:
It’s stone fruit season!
blackberries with raspberries and blueberries at the tail end of production
stone fruits: apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums
pears and grapes in some areas (September for others)
while many fruits are at the tail end of their summer production, most are still available in August with cranberries, apples and rhubarb being the exceptions.
almost all vegetables. Squash is just coming in, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, corn and carrots are all flourishing. It’s actually easier to list the veggies that aren’t available yet! Asparagus has long since finished and pumpkins, red and yellow onions and Brussels sprouts are still a month away.
Depending on where you live, kids go back to school in late August or after Labour day weekend in September. University and college kids mostly go back after Labour day. Start dripping out content in late August but keep this list handy as you plan September as well. Here are a few to get you started:
lunch box ideas
allergy friendly (peanut-free in particular!)
eco-friendly packaging ideas
budget friendly (10 lunchbox ideas that cost less than $X)
hot lunch ideas (and how to keep them hot)
lunch box sweets and homemade treats
making lunch box veggies exciting
after school snacks
quick and easy
fuel for sports or activities
quell the pre-dinner munchies
grab-n-go breakfasts
easy breakfasts ready in 10 minutes or less
budget friendly cooking tips for college kids
dorm friendly meal ideas or dorm friendly foods
cooking basics for kids on their own for the first time
weeknight dinners
30-45 minutes or less
one pot meals
10 ingredients or less
meal prep and batch cooking
foods that fuel study sessions or help with mental focus
how to avoid the morning breakfast/lunchbox prep crunch
tips on getting your kitchen and pantry organized for meal prep and back to school.
As always, these are suggestions – adapt them to fit your niche and your audience.
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There are so many delicious options to write about in your July email newsletters! If you’re a food bloggers or food content creator, the hard part will be narrowing down those options. So let’s get writing!
July is another bumper month for content. Many of the ideas I shared in June cross over into July (and I’ll recap a few here but for the full list check out June Newsletter Ideas for Food Bloggers)
SEASONAL HOLIDAYS:
Canada Day (July 1) and Independence Day (US – July 4)
grilling recipes, potlucks, BBQs, picnics
red and white food (Canada Day) or red, white and blue food (July 4): make the most of seasonal strawberries, cherries and blueberries
Canada Day or July 4 menu ideas for a grilling night, potlucks, appetizers etc
stone fruits: cherries and apricots with peaches arriving in late July in some areas
melons
veggies: peas, green beans, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, salad greens, zucchini, radishes, swiss chard, corn, new potatoes
canning, preserving and freezing – don’t forget jams and jellies!
pie
summer cocktails, mocktails and other iced drinks
grilling recipes
seafood
frozen desserts (popsicles, ice cream, gelato)
no-bake desserts
potluck and picnic dishes
homemade BBQ sauces, spice rubs and marinades
air fryers and instant pots as ways to cook and keep the kitchen cool
dishes best served cold
KEEP THE KITCHEN COOL:
Nobody wants to turn on an oven in July or August – unless it’s an outdoor pizza oven! Think make ahead meals, dishes best served cold or household appliances that don’t generate much heat:
potato and pasta salads
cold proteins (cook in the morning and serve in the evening): cold chicken, ham
fresh fruit and veggies with light, bright dressings
no-bake desserts
Instant Pot, Air Fryer, slow cooker and BBQ or propane grill recipes
** Note that in many areas as wildfire season is in full swing, any kind of outdoor flame may be banned
CANNING AND PRESERVING:
Gardens, farmer’s markets and farm gate sales are now in full on production mode with entire flats of fresh fruit and produce available for sale. And that means it’s canning, preserving and freezing season!
basic equipment
different types of preserving
basic safety precautions and preserving techniques
jams and jellies (unique flavour ideas are big right now!)
salsas, pickles, pasta sauces
ROAD TRIPS & ENTERTAINING:
There are still opportunities to focus on outdoor cooking and entertaining. But don’t just focus on grilling! This time of year people are cooking on portable camp stoves, charcoal BBQs, over campfires, in RVs, on the beach or at their Air BnB. And they’re eating while moving!
Also think about pool parties, outdoor movie nights, picnics, impromptu neighbourhood get togethers, sports tournaments – anywhere people are gathering, they’ll want food and cold drinks.
BACK TO SCHOOL:
This one is a little wild for me as back to school here is always after Labour Day in September but, a lot of areas go back as early as August. I’ll have more ideas for this next month but have it on your radar and start planning your BTS content for all your platforms.
This is just a smattering of ideas – take them and run with them. Shape them to fit your niche and content. The hardest part about June and July is narrowing it down to a few topics.
Now’s the time to get started. Plan out your June newsletter calendar and batch write your emails. Schedule them and you’re good to go!
Want More Tips?
Want more email tips? Subscribe to my monthly newsletter! Each month I write an exclusive newsletter full of tips, tricks and ideas for food content creators and their email lists!
There is SO much food content you can write about in your June email newsletters! If you’re a food bloggers or food content creator, this is when we’re spoiled for choice. So let’s get writing!
After struggling to make root vegetables interesting for almost 6 months, June is like a breath of fresh air for food bloggers and food content creators. This is when writing your email newsletters gets a lot easier and I’ve got loads of ideas to help you out this month. A lot of these ideas also carry over into July and, to a certain extent, August – so you can plan even further ahead!
SEASONAL HOLIDAYS:
June brings us Father’s Day, as well as school graduations which run through the entire month. And, while Canada Day (July 1) and Independence Day (US July 4) are the first week of July, you’ll want to start dripping content out for these in mid to late June. Here are some ideas:
grilling recipes or Father’s day menu ideas
Father’s Day gift guide for the dad who cooks (grilling tools and accessories, cookbooks, specialty condiments, cool kitchen gadgets etc) – don’t forget affiliate links where allowed!
red and white food (Canada Day) or red, white and blue food (July 4)
Canada Day or July 4 menu ideas for a grilling night, potlucks, appetizers etc
grad party and menu ideas: outdoor movie night, dry grad, morning after breakfast buffet
SEASONAL FOOD:
We’re gearing up for berry season but there’s loads of other ideas
strawberries (raspberries and blueberries may be on the way in warmer regions)
rhubarb (tail end)
peas
leafy greens
cherries (late June through July)
summer cocktails, mocktails and other iced drinks
grilling recipes
seafood
frozen desserts (popsicles, ice cream)
no-bake desserts
potluck and picnic dishes
homemade BBQ sauces, spice rubs and marinades
slow cookers, air fryers and instant pots as ways to cook and keep the kitchen cool
COOKING ON THE ROAD:
Just like in May (and continuing through July and August, there are lots of opportunities to focus on outdoor cooking and entertaining. But don’t just focus on grilling! This time of year people are cooking on portable camp stoves, charcoal BBQs, over campfires, in RVs, on the beach or at their Air BnB. And they’re eating while moving!
grilling, smoker, BBQ recipes
shopping meal prep for travel (don’t forget airplane snacks too!)
tips on hot weather food safety and how to pack a cooler
recipes you can cook on camp stoves, campfires or in tiny kitchens
camp kitchen hygiene and animal safety
road trip or airplane snacks
how to grocery shop while on vacation
kid snacks for day camps
how to do any of the above suggestions on a budget!
CANNING AND PRESERVING:
Canning and preserving don’t get into full swing until later in the summer but now is a great time to talk about how to prep for the season: tools, tips, books and blog posts!
ENTERTAINING:
People entertain a lot during the summer. Casual get togethers, out of town family, weddings, wedding showers, engagement parties, sports team windups… it’s a long list!
emails that focus on menu ideas for any of these events – especially easy food that isn’t labour intensive
no cook dinner ideas
make ahead dishes that can be eaten cold
This is just a smattering of ideas – take them and run with them. Shape them to fit your niche and content. The hardest part about June and July is narrowing it down to a few topics.
Now’s the time to get started. Plan out your June newsletter calendar and batch write your emails. Schedule them and you’re good to go!
Want More Tips?
Want more email tips? Subscribe to my monthly newsletter! Each month I write an exclusive newsletter full of tips, tricks and ideas for food content creators and their email lists!
A detailed list of May food observances makes it easy for food content creators to brainstorm blog and email content ideas.
If you’re looking for ideas for May content for your food blog’s email newsletters or social media channels, or you’re wanting to brainstorm recipe ideas or come up with fun food videos for your YouTube channel, check out all of these May food holidays. You’re sure to find something that gets your mouth watering – there’s suitable topics for every kind of food blogger and food content creator.
Many of these observances are based on dates in the United States but are often celebrated in the food community at large. I’ve tried to note where a month, week or day is tied to a specific country other than the USA. And where a day is observed globally, that has been noted as well.
Some food observance dates do shift from year to year but these dates should be current for 2024
Want more email tips? Subscribe to my monthly newsletter! Each month I write an exclusive newsletter full of tips, tricks and ideas for food content creators and their email lists!
May is the time of year where everyone starts to venture outdoors! And that means that there’s lots of fresh ideas for May newsletter content if you’re a food bloggers or food content creator.
May is when we start to feel like it’s safe to plan outdoor gatherings with a little more certainty when it comes to the weather. It’s warm but not stinking hot yet and the spring rain (or snow) has usually settled down!
SEASONAL HOLIDAYS:
There are multiple holidays in May: Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day (North America), Victoria Day Long Weekend (Canada) and Memorial Day Weekend (USA). All of them have a big food component.
Mexican dishes and drinks (both traditional and modern twists)
afternoon tea
brunches
desserts
easy to make breakfasts for mom (so the kids don’t destroy the kitchen)
pampering mom
picnics, BBQs and potlucks
SEASONAL FOOD:
A steady stream of in season produce is on the way now so be sure to take advantage of it with your evergreen content!
asparagus
strawberries
rhubarb
peas and pea shoots
artichokes
lettuces and baby spinach
other baby greens
OUTDOOR COOKING SEASON
May is the month that grillers and smokers get serious. May also hosts what is, for many, the first camping weekend of the year which means cooking outdoors on campfires and cooking stoves and… road trips!
grilling recipes
smoker recipes
campfire cooking
cooking stove recipes
road trips and road trip snacks and meals
meal prep for camping
Now’s the time to get started. Plan out your May newsletter calendar and batch write your emails. Schedule them and you’re good to go!
Want more email tips? Subscribe to my monthly newsletter! Each month I write an exclusive newsletter full of tips, tricks and ideas for food content creators and their email lists!
