As a nutrition consultant, one of the simplest pieces of advice I give clients is to eat with the seasons. And every year in March, that advice suddenly becomes easy to follow. Farmers’ markets start filling with vibrant greens and all the citrus, a welcome change after winter’s heavier meals. It also happens to be my birthday month (sandwiched within weeks of my boys’ birthdays too), so this time of year is always a fresh start in more ways than one. Cooking with seasonal spring produce is one of the easiest ways to lean into that shift.
Why Seasonal Produce Makes Cooking Simpler
One of the simplest ways to make any meal better? Cook with what’s in season. It’s advice I often give my clients when they feel overwhelmed in the kitchen. When produce is at its peak, it tastes better, cooks faster, and usually requires very little preparation—a bunch of asparagus roasted with olive oil and salt. Strawberries sliced over homemade yogurt. Peppery arugula tossed with lemon and parmesan. When ingredients are this fresh, the meal practically builds itself.
The Case for Local Produce
Spring is also when the produce section starts to feel exciting again after winter. Farmers’ markets (if you have access to one!) fill up with greens, herbs, and early berries, and suddenly it’s easy to build lighter meals around what looks good that week. And while I love a Saturday morning farmers market stroll, you don’t have to shop that way to cook seasonally. Many grocery stores now highlight local produce, and CSA boxes make it easy to get what’s growing nearby delivered straight to your door.
What’s in Season: Spring Edition
Below are some of the best fruits and veggies to look for this time of year, along with tips for choosing them and a few easy ways to cook with them.
- Strawberries
- Artichokes
- Fennel
- Asparagus
- Arugula
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Mint
- Peas
- Radishes
- Green Garlic
- Onions
- Carrots
- Rhubarb
Strawberries
How to Buy Strawberries
Look for berries that are bright red, fragrant, and firm. Smaller to medium-sized strawberries often have the best flavor. Avoid containers with bruised or mushy fruit, and check the bottom of the carton to make sure the berries aren’t leaking juice. Hot tip: When you get home, transfer them to a shallow container lined with a paper towel to absorb any extra moisture. Don’t rinse until right before eating!
Easy Ways to Use Them
Slice them over yogurt or oatmeal, use them in this copycat Erewhon smoothie, toss them into spring salads, or macerate them with a little honey and lemon for an easy dessert.
Artichokes
How to Buy Artichokes
Choose artichokes that feel heavy for their size with tightly packed leaves. The leaves should look vibrant and fresh, and the stem should appear recently cut rather than dry.
Easy Ways to Use Them
Steam or roast artichokes and serve with olive oil, grill them for a smoky flavor, or add them to spinach salads or lemony pastas.
Fennel
How to Buy Fennel
Look for bulbs that are firm, pale white, and free of browning. Smaller bulbs tend to be more tender and mild in flavor. The feathery fronds should appear bright green and fresh.
Easy Ways to Use It
Shave fennel thinly into herbaceous salads, roast it alongside pan-seared halibut or chicken, or sauté it with olive oil and garlic for a simple side.
Asparagus
How to Buy Asparagus
Choose asparagus with firm stalks and tightly closed tips. The spears should be vibrant green and not limp. Thicker stalks are just as flavorful as thin ones—just peel the lower portion if they’re especially thick.
Easy Ways to Use It
Roast asparagus, blend it into an immunity-boosting soup, shave it raw into salads, toss it into risotto, or goat cheese frittatas.
Arugula
How to Buy Arugula
Fresh arugula should look vibrant and crisp with deep green leaves. Avoid bunches that appear wilted, yellowing, or soggy. When you get home, put a paper towel down on top of the greens and flip the container upside down—this will help absorb any moisture.
Easy Ways to Use It
Use it as the base for simple salads, pair it with salmon, scatter it over pizza, or toss it into warm dishes right before serving so it gently wilts (and removes a bit of its peppery bite).
Spinach
How to Buy Spinach
Look for leaves that are deep green and crisp. Avoid spinach that looks slimy or yellowing. Baby spinach is more tender and mild, while mature spinach has a slightly heartier texture. Same with storing arugula, put a paper towel down on top of the greens and flip the container upside down.
Easy Ways to Use It
The sky’s the limit. Add a handful to smoothies, sauté it in ghee and top with a fried egg, make saag paneer, enjoy on garlicky pizza, treat yourself to these tarts, or stir it into pasta.
Lettuce
How to Buy Lettuce
Look for heads that feel crisp and hydrated with vibrant leaves. Butter lettuce, romaine, and little gem are especially common in the spring. Avoid lettuce that appears wilted or browning along the edges.
Easy Ways to Use It
Toss lettuce with a simple vinaigrette, use it as a wrap for tacos or grilled meats, or layer it into veggie-based sandwiches.
Mint
How to Buy Mint
Choose mint with vibrant green leaves that appear perky and fragrant. Avoid bunches that are wilted or have dark spots.
Easy Ways to Use It
Add mint to this cumin chickpea salad, blend it into sauces and dressings (like this tzatziki), or whip up a mint julep cocktail!
Peas
How to Buy Peas
Fresh pea pods should look bright green, smooth, and firm. Avoid pods that appear dull, blotchy, or dried out.
Easy Ways to Use Them
Toss peas into a hearty salad or grain bowl; we also love blending them into a delicious pesto for crostinis.
Radishes
How to Buy Radishes
Look for radishes that feel firm with vibrant color. If the greens are still attached, they should appear fresh and lively.
Easy Ways to Use Them
Slice radishes thinly into salads, roast them (or air fry!) until tender, or layer them over toast with butter or goat cheese.
Green Garlic
How to Buy Green Garlic
Green garlic looks similar to a young leek or large scallion. Choose stalks that are firm with bright green tops and white bulbs that aren’t soft or shriveled.
Easy Ways to Use It
Use green garlic anywhere you’d normally use garlic or scallions. Sauté it gently, add it to dressings, stir it into pasta, or use it as a dip for garlic and sage sweet potato fries.
Onions
How to Buy Onions
Look for onions that feel firm with dry, papery skins. Avoid onions that feel soft or have damp spots. Keep these on your counter!
Easy Ways to Use Them
Use onions as a base for soups, sautés, and frittatas, roast them alongside vegetables, or slice them thinly for caramelized onion and prosciutto pizza.
Carrots
How to Buy Carrots
Choose carrots that feel firm with vibrant color. If possible, look for carrots with their green tops still attached, which usually indicates freshness.
Easy Ways to Use Them
Roast carrots and pair with honey-lime yogurt, shave them into salads, or make this vegan flatbread.
Rhubarb
How to Buy Rhubarb
Look for firm stalks that are bright pink or red. Avoid stalks that appear limp or dry. (Rhubarb leaves are toxic and should always be discarded.)
Easy Ways to Use It
Cook rhubarb down into compotes, bake it into crisps or pies, or pair it with strawberries in jams. We love rhubarb for breakfast as much as dessert!
Letting the Season Lead
For me, spring always feels like a fresh start in the kitchen. A few seasonal ingredients, a drizzle of good olive oil, and dinner is halfway done. Let what’s in season lead the way, and you’ll never run out of inspiration. Sometimes the best meals really are the simplest ones.
This post was last updated on March 20, 2026, to include new insights.
