Fresh corn! Juicy watermelon! Walmart's new delivery service fulfilled all my summer food cravings

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This time of year, the backyard is equal parts dining room, kitchen, living room and play space. It's everything. An oasis of ease. Cooking is simple and social. Food tastes better. Cleanup is quick, with many hands making light work. And you know what makes it even better? Simplified grocery shopping.

That’s where Walmart+ comes in. The home delivery service has been a huge time-saver for me over the past year, so much so that I’ve kept my subscription going long past the time I thought I would. I signed up back when we were all (rightfully) reluctant to go to the store. My Walmart+ membership was key during COVID, and affordable to boot.

For $13 a month or $98 a year, you can get your groceries delivered free, along with hundreds of other items (think home goods, pet food, cleaning supplies, gifts). Some items come the very same day. I renewed my subscription when I realized that Walmart+ isn't just an emergency measure, but it's also a great time-saver for regular life.

These lazy hazy summer days, when we're all so excited to be back together enjoying the outdoors, Walmart+ has made it a breeze for me to feed my family and friends. From charred veggies to sparkling water, all the essentials are only a click away. My easy delicious backyard meals almost always start with a quick Walmart+ online order and culminate — soon after — in a grill full of goodness.

Here’s what I’ve been serving on repeat with the help of Walmart+ delivery. Hope it inspires some memorable meals for you and yours.

Fresh Corn on the Cob, 4 Pack

Fresh corn on the cob is a hallmark of summer — but peeling all that icky cornsilk off the ears doesn’t have to be. Take these pre-cleaned ears of corn out of the package, wrap them in foil, pop them on the grill, and voila, all the hard work is done for you and all the deliciousness is waiting.

Lloyd's Seasoned & Smoked St. Louis Style Pork Spareribs

Maybe it hasn’t become obvious yet, but for me, summer is a season that should be as relaxing as possible. That means that, as much as I love to cook, I love to have as much of the work done for me as possible. Could I make a dry rub and cook some ribs slow and low for three hours? Sure. Sure I could. Do I want to when I could be enjoying the sunshine with a book in one hand and a glass of wine in the other? Absolutely not. These prepared ribs are a tasty time saver, and are another quick dinner to keep on hand for when you want something you can toss on the grill with minimal effort.

Great Value Frozen Raw Large Peeled and Deveined Tail-Off Shrimp

One of my go-to summer recipes is grilled shrimp, not just because it’s delicious, but because it’s so easy to keep a bag of frozen raw shrimp in the freezer and grab it any time you’re not sure what to cook. Let the shrimp thaw, rinse them well, then drop them in a bowl with whatever you’ve got in your kitchen.

I like to do a combo of chopped garlic, lemon juice or white wine (or both!), sea salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in some olive oil as a marinade. Add a fresh herb like parsley or dill if you’re feeling fancy. Let it soak for an hour or a day, then grill alongside whatever veggies you’ve got in the house, or put them on a salad. It doesn’t get easier.

Seedless Watermelon

I love watermelon so much that I will eat it even out of season, but it’s especially perfect in the middle of summer. Is it a breakfast food? Dessert? A snack? Yes, yes and yes. I put watermelon in breakfast smoothies; have it as a beach snack; eat some for a light, sweet dessert; and sprinkle it with feta, chopped mint and sea salt for the best summer appetizer you’ll ever eat. (Just trust me, it’s out-of-this-world good.)

La Croix Sparkling Water

When I'm not in the mood for that aforementioned wine, I reach for a sparkly beverage. La Croix Pamplemousse (French for grapefruit!) is a delight. Refreshing and bubbly without being too sweet, it's great to keep on hand all summer long — and I appreciate not having to lug a heavy box to my car. I say: Drink what makes you happy. For me, this is it, all season long.

Read More from Yahoo Life:

• My cats and I are wild about Walmart's new delivery service — try it for free!

• 6 ways Walmart's new delivery service made my life as a mom better

• I'm a germaphobe — and here's why I'm loving Walmart's free pickup service

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