26 Childhood Summer Food Favorites to Make at Home

I've been conditioned, since starting at Food52, to see visions of tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and corn when I hear (or read, or think, or Scrabble) the word summer.

But there's still a part of me, deep down inside (actually, who am I kidding: That part of me is right on the surface: Hello! Hi there!), that immediately goes to snacks! and treats!: the bags of chocolate chips I accessed freely while my parents were at work, the jugs of "lemonade" I slurped at the day-camp bus stop.

There's time aplenty for fresh salads and grilled fish; let's take a minute to appreciate the nostalgic foods of summer—hot dogs, hamburgers, orange soda, the like—that taste best this time of year. Now, you can make them without a trip to the convenience store (and any time you'd like):

Growing up, what was your favorite summer food? Tell us in the comments below (and share a DIY recipe, if you've got one!).