Seasonal Meal Planning Tips

How to make the best use of all your lovely CSA veggies or garden produce, so you can enjoy it fresh but also preserve it for later use? 

PLANNING AHEAD:
Seasonal eating takes some planning.  When vegetables are in their prime, and your fridge and counters are overwhelmed, it's a great time to put some away for the winter.  Plan ahead so you have the tools and equipment to preserve the extra.  Berries can be made into jam, or frozen in bags.  Herbs into pesto, either jarred or frozen in ice cube trays.  Zucchini shredded or pureed for winter baking or stews, or dried into zucchini chips.  Tomatoes roasted, canned, frozen whole, turned into salsa or sauce, or dried in a dehydrator.  Cabbages turned into kraut or kimchi, and stored in a root cellar.  Cucumbers can be pickled or lacto-fermented.  Spinach and chard can be chopped and frozen, and kale freezes well or dehydrates nicely into kale chips.

HELPFUL TOOLS FOR SEASONAL EATING:

• Food processor - for chopping, puree and shredding veg
  
• Blender - for making pestos and puree
  
• Mandoline or grater - for making cabbage kraut
  
• Dehydrator - for drying zucchini, tomatoes, herbs, kale etc
• Sharp knives & cutting boards - for chopping and shredding
• Canning equipment - canning pot, rack, canning tools, funnel
• Glass mason jars of all sizes - for jams, pickles, tomatoes, salsa, sauces, soups
  
• Wicker baskets - for storing garlic and onions, and root cellaring potatoes (keep out of light)
  
• Paper bags - for storing dried herbs, garlic
  
• High quality sea salt - for success in lacto-fermentation
  
• Fermentation equipment - fermentation weights, crock, or wide-mouth mason jars
  
• Cotton bags, cotton cloths - for storing fresh greens like lettuce and herbs (mist the bags)
  

Remember that fresh produce should be used immediately, or stored in proper conditions.  Generally speaking, heat and light cause fresh vegetables to deteriorate.  Either store vegetables in the fridge, or in a cold room/root cellar until use.  Some vegetables need to be kept moist to retain freshness (e.g. leafy greens), while others keep best if not washed until just before use (e.g. root veg).  Check out our helpful guide to find best Veg Storage Tips.

SOME SEASONAL MEAL IDEAS
Life gets busy!  Planning ahead allows you to prepare meals using seasonal vegetables with ease.  In winter warming soups and stews, and roasted vegetables are wonderful.  Make big batches of soup, chili or cooked beans so the extra can be frozen and used for a quick meal later.  In spring and summer, cooling salads and lightly steamed vegetables with grains are perfect (and don't heat up your house).  Here are a few suggestions on how to incorporate fresh garden vegetables into your meals based on the season:

Spring Veg:

• stir-fry
  
• pesto pasta with peas or spinach
  
• crepes filled with lightly steamed greens
  
• frittatta with fresh spring herbs/veg
  
• fresh leafy salads
  
• fresh crunchy veg with dips
  
• creamy soups
  
• salad rolls with greens and edible flowers
  

Summer Veg:

• fresh leafy salads with extra seeds, nuts or chopped veg
  
• grain and veg salads (barley, quinoa, millet, rice, bulgur)
  
• cold soups
  
• frittatta with chard, spinach or herbs
  
• steamed vegetables
  
• tomato, cucumber, feta & herb salads
  
• new potato salads with herbs
  
• build your own tacos with assorted chopped veg
  

Fall Veg:

• fresh tomato sauce with pasta
  
• ratatouille with tomatoes, eggplant, peppers
  
• pizzas with garden veg
  
• burritos with grain & veg, tomato sauce
  
• coleslaw with fresh cabbage
  

Winter Veg:

• soups & stews made with root veg or frozen tomatoes
  
• roasted vegetable medley
  
• roasted squash with grain
  
• rice or grain bowls, with steamed veg and sauce
  
• grain bowls with egg and kimchi
  
• pesto pasta
  

Reference: From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce.