I still remember the first time I tasted a just-picked sugar snap pea. I was a young child, crouched beside my grandma's garden, the warm dirt under my knees and the late spring sun on my back. She handed me a crisp, green pod right off the vine, and it snapped open with a satisfying pop. I bit into it, and suddenly, the flavor of spring itself was in my mouth—sweet, tender, alive. That memory has stayed with me, and it's part of why I love the idea of eating seasonally.
If you're anything like me—a busy mom trying to make the best choices for your family in the midst of a full-to-the-brim schedule—you know how easy it is to grab the same familiar produce week after week, no matter the season. But eating with the rhythms of nature doesn't have to be complicated, and it can make a world of difference, not only in the way your meals taste but also in how your family connects with food, your health, and your local community.
What Does It Mean to Eat Seasonally?
Eating seasonally simply means choosing fruits and vegetables that are naturally ripening in your local area at the time you're buying them. Instead of strawberries in December that traveled thousands of miles to get to your plate, you wait for that magical window in May when local berries practically burst with sweetness because they were picked at the perfect moment.
This way of eating isn't new. It's how our grandparents and great-grandparents cooked. But somewhere along the way, we lost that connection—replaced it with convenience, predictability, and out-of-season produce with muted flavors. Re-learning how to eat with the seasons is like rediscovering an old family recipe. It brings joy, health, and a surprising sense of peace.
Why Eating Seasonally Matters
1. It Tastes Better Seasonal produce is harvested at its peak. It hasn't spent days or weeks in a truck or airplane. That means the sugars are fully developed, the textures are perfect, and the flavors are exactly how nature intended. Think of a tomato in August versus one in January—it’s not even close.
2. It Supports Your Local Farmers When you choose local, seasonal produce, you're investing in your community. You're supporting small farms like ours, helping keep land in sustainable agriculture, and making sure your food dollars go to families you know and trust.
3. It's Better for the Environment Out-of-season produce often comes with a hefty carbon footprint. It has to be shipped, stored, and sometimes chemically treated to survive the journey. Eating what's grown close to home reduces all that, plus seasonal crops often require fewer inputs like energy, water, and pesticides.
4. It Inspires Variety When you let the seasons guide your meals, you naturally rotate your ingredients. This not only keeps dinners exciting but ensures your family gets a wide range of nutrients.
5. It Connects Your Family to the Land There’s something grounding about knowing where your food comes from, who grew it, and how it changes from month to month. Kids become curious eaters when they see a rainbow of vegetables on the table and know they're eating what’s fresh right now.
What's In Season Right Now?
Spring is such an exciting time on the farm. After the long sleep of winter, everything starts to wake up again. From April through June, we start seeing the first tender greens and then, slowly, more colors and textures join the party.
Here are just some of the veggies in season during these months:
April:
- Spinach
- Baby kale
- Arugula
- Radishes
- Salad mix
- Scallions
- Parsnips (overwintered)
- Herbs like chives and parsley
May:
- Lettuce heads
- Bok choy
- Swiss chard
- Pea shoots
- Rhubarb
- Asparagus
- Early strawberries
June:
- Sugar snap peas
- Garlic scapes
- Zucchini
- Summer squash
- Cucumbers
- New potatoes
- Broccoli
- Strawberries (in full swing!)
Each week, the harvest changes, sometimes just a little and sometimes dramatically. That surprise is part of the fun.
What Does Seasonal Eating Look Like at Mealtime?
If you're wondering how to turn a pile of vegetables into dinner for a busy family, you're not alone. Many of us have felt that hesitation—wondering if the kids will be into it or if the produce will just sit in the fridge. But time and again, we find that seasonal eating is more intuitive than it seems. When the ingredients are this fresh and full of flavor, a simple preparation is often all it takes to make a meal everyone enjoys.
Here are a few simple meal ideas using seasonal spring produce:
April Dinner Idea: Spring Stir-Fry
Use bok choy, scallions, radishes, and spinach. Stir-fry with garlic and a dash of sesame oil. Serve over brown rice with a fried egg on top.
May Lunch Idea: Asparagus & Goat Cheese Tart
Use puff pastry, fresh asparagus, goat cheese, and a sprinkle of lemon zest. Bake until golden and flaky. Serve with a simple green salad.
June Dinner Idea: Veggie Tacos
Use sautéed zucchini, summer squash, and garlic scapes. Add black beans, avocado, and a squeeze of lime. Serve in warm tortillas with a side of strawberries.
Snack Time Anytime: Cucumber Slices with Hummus
Cool, crunchy cucumbers paired with creamy hummus make a refreshing and protein-packed snack that kids (and grownups) love.
Kid Favorite: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries baked with a buttery oat topping. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and watch it disappear.
How to Get Started
You don’t have to change everything at once. Start small. Choose one or two vegetables that are in season and build a meal around them. Visit your local farmers' market, or sign up for a CSA (like our Harvest Box!) to take the guesswork out of what’s in season.
Keep a few staples in your pantry—things like olive oil, vinegars, rice, beans, pasta, and spices. With those on hand, you can whip up meals with whatever produce you bring home.
And most importantly, don’t aim for perfection. There will be weeks when you order takeout or your kids refuse the beet salad. That’s okay. Seasonal eating isn't about rigid rules; it's about connection, curiosity, and care.
The Joy of Eating with the Seasons
In the rush of everyday life—school drop-offs, soccer practice, work meetings, dishes in the sink—it can be hard to slow down. But seasonal eating offers a way to pause and notice. To bring a little more beauty and intention into the everyday.
When you pick up your Wednesday Harvest Box and unpack those just-picked greens or the first bright yellow squash of the season, it's like opening a present from nature. You remember: food isn't just fuel. It's nourishment. It's community. It's love.
And sometimes, it's as simple as a sugar snap pea, still warm from the sun.