12 Patriotic Things to Do This Summer

Here's the perfect summer activity: It's fun and it produces dessert—a red, white, and blue dessert, at that!

"Kids love berry-picking because food's involved, though my children always seemed to eat more than ended up in their bucket," says Janie Hibler, author of The Berry Bible. She recommends hitting the field in the morning when berries are still firm and letting children bring a friend (not only is it more fun for them, it means more hands for picking).

Once home, don't rinse the berries until you're about to use or freeze them. If freezing, position berries on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet and top with another paper towel. Place in the freezer for an hour, then measure, label, and store in zip-shut bags in the freezer to enjoy your fresh-picked berries—and the following dessert—year-round. "Berry-picking is one of the joys of childhood," says Hibler. "Just smelling ripe berries in the morning sun is something you'll never forget." We think eating them—whether in Hibler's delicious Pavlova from her book or our Berry Trifle recipe—is equally memorable.

Red, White & Blue Berry Trifle