Take advantage if you have a local Farmer’s Market!  I am lucky to have one just a few blocks from my house twice a week, from May through Thanksgiving.  It can make grocery shopping a little tricky since you can never predict what produce you’ll be able to muster at the Farmer’s Market, but as you frequent it more often, you will begin to get a feel for the seasonal offerings.

Take advantage of the expertise of the people working each stall.  They know the flavors of their produce best.   They can explain what size watermelon radish is sweeter vs. spicier, and they can tell you when and for how long each kind of produce will be harvested.

Buy as many fresh herbs as you can that fit within your budget.  You can never have enough of these in your house!

Try new produce…that radish you’ve never heard of before, the mushroom that you don’t know how to cook, and ask the experts at the stall how to best prepare them.

Always stock up on butternut squash in season.  It stays for weeks in the fridge, and if you can handle skinning and chopping it yourself, it makes the Butternut Squash Soup taste extra delicious!

Take your treasures home and look for recipes that showcase your special ingredients on blogs like this one!