From Market to Plate: How I Choose What to Serve Each Week

Each season, I start by thinking about what’s growing close to home and how it connects to the way our bodies naturally work. Cooking through a seasonal lens isn’t just about flavor, though produce at its peak will always taste better; it’s also about harmony. In the hotter months, our bodies crave lighter, hydrating foods like cucumbers, tomatoes, melons, and leafy greens. When the weather cools, we naturally shift toward denser, more nutrient-rich foods like squash, root vegetables, hearty greens, and apples. It’s a rhythm that lines up with the environment around us and even our circadian rhythm, with light, cooling foods to balance heat and energy, and grounding, sustaining foods to carry us through colder days.

That’s why I begin every menu with the season in mind. Walking through a market or a grocery store that carries local produce, I’m not just shopping, I’m paying attention to what’s available right now, what flavors are strongest, and what will fuel us best.

When I choose what to cook, I’m guided by three things:

• What’s freshest and in season

• What supports balance

• What inspires me in the moment

If you don’t get to the farmers' market often, that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. Many local grocery stores actually carry produce and products from nearby farms; you just have to look a little closer at the labels. Another great way to bring local food into your kitchen is by joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). It’s one of the best ways to support small farms while giving yourself a box of seasonal variety to work with each week.

Learning the seasons in your area makes all the difference. On the East Coast, strawberries are often thought of as a summer fruit, but they actually peak in late spring. Sweet corn, peaches, and tomatoes shine mid to late summer. Apples, Brussels sprouts, and winter squash carry us through the fall. Familiarize yourself with what grows when, not just by relying on assumptions, but by doing a little research. You’ll find that eating seasonally makes meals taste better, connects you to your community, and helps you appreciate the natural rhythm of food.

A couple of books that helped me wrap my head around seasonality are Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden and On Vegetables by Jeremy Fox. Both are chef-driven but deeply approachable, and they can change the way you think about building meals from what’s available right now.

Cooking begins at the source, whether that’s a farm stand, a CSA box, or a grocery store that values local products. The choices you make at the start ripple all the way to the finished dish.

This philosophy also shapes how I build menus for my clients. Every family and every event is different, so I layer in personal likes, dislikes, and any dietary restrictions while keeping seasonality at the core. The result is food that feels nourishing, exciting, and tailored, but also rooted in the natural rhythm of what’s growing around us.

If you’re curious about cooking this way, try starting small. Swap one item on your grocery list for something that’s in season where you live and see how it changes the flavor of your meals. And if you give it a try, I’d love to hear about it. Send me an email and let me know what you cooked and how you liked this blog entry.