As a nutritionist, one of the simplest pieces of advice I give clients is food and the seasons. And every year in March, that advice suddenly becomes easier to follow. Farmers’ markets are starting to fill up with green vegetables and all the citrus, a welcome change after a hard winter diet. It’s also my birthday month (split between the weeks of my boys’ birthdays), 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 Easy
One of the easiest ways to do it anywhere better food? Cook with what’s in season. It’s advice I often give my clients when they’re feeling stressed in the kitchen. The fresher the produce, the better it tastes, the faster it cooks, and the less preparation it usually requires—lots of asparagus grilled with olive oil and salt. Sliced strawberries over homemade yogurt. Peppery arugula tossed with lemon and parmesan. When the ingredients are fresh, the food builds itself.
The Case for Local Product
Spring is also when the produce section starts to feel exciting again after winter. Farmers’ markets (if you can get to one!) are filled with fresh vegetables, herbs, and berries, and suddenly it’s easy to create a simple meal from what looks good that week. And while I love going to the farmers market on Saturday mornings, you don’t have to shop that way to cook at certain times of the year. Many grocery stores now highlight local produce, and CSA boxes make it easy to have your growing delivered right to your door.
What’s in Season: Spring Edition
Below are some of the best fruits and vegetables to look for this time of year, along with some tips for choosing and a few easy ways to cook with them.
- Strawberries
- Artichokes
- Fennel
- Asparagus
- Arugula
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Mint
- Peas
- Pictures
- Green Garlic
- Onion
- Carrots
- Rhubarb
Strawberries
How to Buy Strawberries
Look for berries that are bright red, fragrant, and firm. Small to medium sized strawberries usually have the best flavor. Avoid containers with damaged fruit or leaves, and check the bottom of the box to make sure the berries are not leaking juice. Hot tip: When you get home, transfer them to a shallow dish lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. Don’t shower until you eat!
Simple Ways to Use It
Slice them over yogurt or oatmeal, use them in this copycat Erewhon smoothie, toss them in spring salads, or mash 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 healthy and clean, and the stem should be cut later rather than dry.
Simple Ways to Use It
Steam or roast artichokes and serve them with olive oil, roast 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 not brown. Small bulbs tend to be mild and mild in flavor. Feathered leaves should appear blue and fresh.
Easy Ways to Use it
Shave fennel thinly into salads with vegetables, roast it alongside grilled halibut or chicken, or roast it in olive oil and garlic for a lighter side.
Asparagus
How to Buy Asparagus
Choose asparagus with firm stems and closed tips. The spears should be green and limp. Thick stalks are just as fragrant as thin stalks—just peel off the bottom if they’re too thick.
Easy Ways to Use it
Roast asparagus, add it to an immune-boosting soup, shave it raw into salads, toss it into risotto, or goat cheese frittatas.
Arugula
How to Buy Arugula
Fresh arugula should look healthy and crisp with deep green leaves. Avoid clumps that appear shriveled, yellow, or cold. When you get home, put a paper towel down on top of the vegetables and turn the bowl upside down – this will help absorb any moisture.
Easy Ways to Use it
Use it as a base for light salads, pair it with salmon, spread it over pizza, or toss it into warm dishes before serving to gently wilt (and take away a bit of the peppery bite).
Spinach
How to Buy Spinach
Look for deep green and crisp leaves. Avoid spinach that looks small or yellow. Baby spinach is soft and tender, while mature spinach is less hearty. Similar to storing arugula, place a paper towel down over the greens and turn the container upside down.
Easy Ways to Use it
The sky is the limit. Add a handful to smoothies, roast them in ghee and top them with a fried egg, make saag paneer, enjoy them on garlicky pizza, treat yourself to these tarts, or fold them into pasta.
Lettuce
How to Buy Lettuce
Look for heads that feel clean and full of healthy leaves. Butter lettuce, romaine, and baby gem are very common in the spring. Avoid lettuce that appears wilted or brown at the edges.
Easy Ways to Use it
Toss lettuce with a light vinaigrette, use it as a wrap for tacos or grilled meats, or add it to veggie-based sandwiches.
Mint
How to Buy Mint
Choose a mint with green leaves that look good and smell good. Avoid bunches that are wilted or have black spots.
Easy Ways to Use it
Add mint to this cumin chickpea salad, mix it with sauces and dressings (like this tzatziki), or whip up a mint julep cocktail!
Peas
How to Buy Peas
Fresh pea pods should look green, smooth, and firm. Avoid pods that appear dull, blotchy, or dry.
Simple Ways to Use It
Toss peas into a hearty salad or cereal bowl; we also like to mix them into a delicious pesto for crostinis.
Pictures
How to Buy Radishes
Look for radishes that feel firm and bright in color. If the vegetables are still attached, they should appear fresh and alive.
Simple Ways to Use It
Cut the tomatoes into small pieces for salads, roast them (or air fry them!) until tender, or spread them over butter or goat cheese.
Green Garlic
How to Buy Green Garlic
Green garlic looks like a small leek or a large scallion. Choose strong stems with bright green tops and white bulbs that are not soft or shriveled.
Easy Ways to Use it
Use green garlic wherever you would normally use garlic or scallions. Add it lightly, add it to dressing, fold it into pasta, or use it as a garlic dip and sweet potato fries.
Onion
How to Buy Onions
Look for onions that feel tough with dry, papery skins. Avoid onions that feel soft or have moist spots. Keep these on your counter!
Simple Ways to Use It
Use onions as a base for soups, sautés, and frittatas, roast them alongside vegetables, or slice them thinly for a caramelized onion and prosciutto pizza.
Carrots
How to Buy Carrots
Choose carrots that feel firm and have a bright color. If possible, look for carrots with their green tops still attached, which often indicates freshness.
Simple Ways to Use It
Roast carrots and pair with honey-lime yogurt, grate them into salads, or make this vegan flatbread.
Rhubarb
How to Buy Rhubarb
Look for firm stems that are bright pink or red. Avoid stems that appear limp or dry. (Rhubarb leaves are poisonous and should always be discarded.)
Easy Ways to Use it
Cook rhubarb into compote, bake it into crisps or pies, or mix it with strawberries in jam. We love rhubarb for breakfast as well as dessert!
Letting the Season Lead
For me, spring always feels like a new beginning in the kitchen. A few seasonal ingredients, a drizzle of good olive oil, and dinner is done. Let what’s in season lead, and you’ll never run out of inspiration. Sometimes the best food is the simplest.
Eddie Horstman
Edie is the founder of the nutrition coaching business, Wellness with Edie. With her background and expertise, she specializes in women’s health, including fertility, hormonal balance, and postpartum health.
This post was last updated on March 20, 2026, to include new information.
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