One of my favorite things about changing seasons is switching up our meals and ingredients. In the fall and winter I crave soups and chilis and winter squash and dinners that warm my body and the house. 🙂 And in the spring and summer I love fresh flavors, more colorful ingredients and meals that are easy to take to the pool or patio or for a picnic.

There are also some really great reasons to change up your meals with the seasons!

• Cost savings. Many times buying what’s in season can save you money. Buying strawberries in the spring can cost less than buying them in the winter.
• In-season produce tastes better. Strawberries and corn and fresh peas are so much sweeter in the springtime. In many places, especially in California, we can find a lot of produce year-round, but in-season produce tastes sweeter and fresher and more ripe.
• Diversity of foods. For a healthy gut (which is so so important for your overall health!), it’s important to eat a bunch of different fruits and vegetables. Changing your produce with the season is such an easy and delicious way to do that!
• Easier to find in-season produce. The farmer’s market is the perfect example of finding in-season produce. It’s full of what’s in season in your area now.

To make eating seasonally even easier, I’ve also created a 4-week Spring Meal Plan with 30+ simple, delicious and family friendly springtime recipes, weekly grocery lists, helpful tips for creating healthy habits and so much more. And use code THANKYOU10 at checkout for $10 off!

Now for what’s in season in the spring: mid-March, April and May.

Spring Produce Guide

SPRING FRUITS

• Apricots
• Avocado
• Honeydew
• Jackfruit
• Kiwi
• Lemons
• Limes
• Mango
• Oranges
• Pineapple
• Strawberries

SPRING VEGETABLES

• Artichoke
• Arugula
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Butter Lettuce
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Fennel
• Green Beans
• Green Peas
• Leeks
• Mushrooms
• Red Leaf Lettuce
• Spinach
• Swiss Chard

SPRINGTIME HERBS

• Chives
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Parsley
• Thyme
• Mint
• Dill

5 Springtime Recipes to Try

1. Pesto Veggie Pasta.

All the flavors of Spring! Your favorite pasta + a delicious pesto + springtime veggies. I tweak this recipe every season and in the spring I love making it with roasted asparagus and broccoli and fresh green peas. Homemade pesto is the best (try adding a squeeze of lemon to it for a burst of flavor!). Top with parmesan if you like and enjoy! The full recipe is in my Spring Meal Plan & it’s a dinner that’s a hit with my girls and takes less than 1/2 hour to make!

2. Crunchy Asian Ramen Noodle Salad from Gimme Some Oven.

I love the flavors and textures of this salad. And adding mango is a little different and delicious! Plus, it’s easy to throw together. If you’re making it ahead of time, I recommend adding avocado, ramen noodles and the dressing just before serving.

3. Burrito Bowls with pinto beans, guac and Cilantro Rice.

Burrito bowls are full of flavor, texture, color and deliciousness. You can easily tweak it based on your favorite lettuces, sauces, dressings, toppings, etc. I love using butter lettuce & purple cabbage as the base, then my favorite Cilantro Rice, pinto beans warmed up with garlic powder & oregano, a quick homemade guac, corn kernels, tomatoes, plantain chips & a squeeze of lime. So delicious. The full recipe is in my Spring Meal Plan, with other favorite springtime burrito bowl combos, plus fun seasonal salsas like pineapple avocado salsa and mango goji avocado salsa.

4. Pine-Orange-Banana Matcha Smoothie.

I shared this recipe on Instagram and it’s quickly become one of my favorites (and my girls love it too!). It’s an energizing and delicious way to start your morning. The ground flaxseeds, even though you can’t taste them, will help you feel full longer and are full of fiber. And the matcha, which is powdered green tea, will give you energy and is full of antioxidants.

5. Strawberry Shortcake. 

My mom used to make the biscuits from Bisquick for Strawberry Shortcake and I’ve been making them that way ever since. I like to make homemade whipped cream by whipping heavy cream or heavy whipping cream and add a little powdered sugar or maple syrup for sweetness.

Also check out my favorite Trader Joe’s Spring items HERE! And my Spring Meal Plan HERE!

What are some of your favorite Spring recipes? Tell me below 🙂