Ready for summer? Eat lighter, leaner and more naturally with plant-based and organic foods from your local Strack & Van Til Food Market.

No need to sacrifice taste – get the same great grilled “meat” flavor with plant-based alternatives in the Meat & Seafood Department.

“These are flavors you crave from beef products but made from plants. Try meatless burgers, sausage and chicken, as well as vegetarian and vegan beef,” says Meat Department Director Gary Teachman.

Sink your teeth into a thick and juicy Beyond Burger, an Impossible Burger (just like the ones at the well-known fast-food chain) or pick up a package of ground plant-based “beef” if you want to make your own restaurant-quality pub burgers.

Choose from other plant-based items such as Beyond Burger’s brats or Italian sausage or Pure Farmland’s burger, cheddar burger with dairy-free cheese, meatballs and breakfast links and patties. There are also Incognito burgers, three types of breaded “chicken” and Lightlife’s dinner sausages, burgers and ground plant-based “beef.”

Season plant-based ground “beef” and cook the burger on the grill at medium-high heat for three to four minutes per side for medium and five minutes per side for medium-well. When fully cooked, the burger should be slightly pink in color. For a mouth-watering experience, top with Wisconsin cheddar and bacon bits.

A burger doesn’t always have to be made from beef. Freshly made salmon burgers are available in the Strack & Van Til Seafood Department and provide important oOmega-3s. Enjoy Zesty Dill, Cajun, Spinach Feta and Garlic Parmesan.

If you’re into organic or grass-fed meat, many Strack & Van Til stores carry Strauss Organic ground beef as well as Grass Run Farms and PRE steaks and ground beef.

For lighter options try Smart Chicken poultry-based sausage, chicken Italian sausage, chicken bratwurst or feta and spinach chicken sausage. The Strack & Van Til Meat & Seafood Department also carries Smart Chicken organic chicken and Miller Amish organic chicken.

A visit to the Strack & Van Til Produce Department will also satisfy your need for organics with more than 150 fresh organic fruits and vegetables available daily. Plus, there are a variety branded options including premium-quality, packaged Organic Girl salad greens and local organic herbs from Meyer Farms from Woodstock, Ill., the oldest and longest running organic herb farm in the U.S.

“Dress your greens in Mother Raw organic and plant-based salad dressings,” says Produce Department Director Bob Hylka. “These are clean products without fillers or artificial ingredients.”

The Produce Department also offers more than plant-based meat and cheese items including Field Roast sausages (and roasts for holidays), Lightlife bacon and hot dogs, Noble Jerky products, Tofurky meats and Violife cheeses, which melt like dairy cheese. You’ll also find Vive Wellness Shots that have a variety of health benefits.

Plant-based, organic and natural packaged items also are available in the Strack & Van Til grocery aisles, with brands including Bob’s Red Mill, Nature’s Path, Amy’s, MadeWith, Organic Valley, Frontier, Garden of Eatin’ and Arrowhead Mills. There are also products from Tofurky, Jackfruit, Field Roast, Upton’s Natural, Miyoko’s, Daiya, Forager, Violife, Sweet Earth, Planet Oats and more.

“A plant-based diet is a powerful way to help achieve good health,” notes Director of Center Store Tom Steliga. “Those who eat a plant-based diet may lower their risk for a variety of health conditions. Research also shows that a plant-based diet can be less expensive than an omnivorous diet.”

If you’re looking for ways to eat healthier or to incorporate plant-based and organic food into your diet, look no further than your local Strack & Van Til Food Market.