Earth Day is a good reminder to be a little more thoughtful about what we’re cooking and how much waste comes with it. These recipes keep things simple, seasonal, and practical. They use ingredients that are in their prime this time of year and skip anything that needs five kinds of packaging or an hour of cleanup. You’ll find easy meals that make the most of spring produce without a lot of extra work.
Feta Beet Salad
This salad keeps things simple but still hits hard with flavor. Roasted beets, salty feta, and crunchy pistachios come together with a lemony olive oil dressing. It’s a perfect choice for Earth Day when you want something seasonal that doesn’t take much effort.
Get the Recipe: Feta Beet Salad
Carrot Citrus Salad
Roasted rainbow carrots meet sweet oranges and tart Meyer lemons in this no-frills salad. Tossed with a sharp citrus mustard vinaigrette, it’s bright, refreshing, and a smart way to use winter produce before it disappears.
Get the Recipe: Carrot Citrus Salad
Avocado Lentil Salad
Hearty lentils, creamy avocado, and tangy cranberries get tossed in a lemon dijon dressing for a salad that actually keeps you full. It’s easy to throw together and works great as a lunch when you’re sticking to seasonal greens.
Get the Recipe: Avocado Lentil Salad
Chopped Crispy Citrus Chicken Salad
Rotisserie chicken and citrus segments sit on kale with toasted pine nuts and a sharp orange dijon dressing. It’s packed with texture and makes a perfect winter-to-spring dinner when you’re trying to keep meals fresh and no-nonsense.
Get the Recipe: Chopped Crispy Citrus Chicken Salad
Honey Mustard Chicken and Brussels Sprouts Salad
This one throws together shredded chicken, crunchy Brussels sprouts, sweet apples, and tart pomegranate seeds. The honey mustard dressing ties it all up. It’s perfect for keeping things seasonal without turning on the stove.
Get the Recipe: Honey Mustard Chicken and Brussels Sprouts Salad
Baby Kale Salad
A base of baby kale gets tossed with tahini dressing, roasted BBQ chickpeas, and sliced apples. It’s a solid plant-based meal you can throw together in minutes. Perfect for Earth Day when you want something green without overthinking it.
Get the Recipe: Baby Kale Salad
Roasted Cranberry Broccoli Salad
Roasted cranberries and butternut squash bring some bold seasonal flavor to a base of broccoli, while croutons, almonds, and pepitas add plenty of crunch. This is a great side dish that works well with just about anything.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Cranberry Broccoli Salad
Arugula Pesto
Arugula brings some bite to this easy pesto, blended with garlic, parmesan, and walnuts. It’s a smart way to use up fresh greens and adds quick flavor to pasta, toast, or roasted vegetables. A solid pick for your Earth Day table.
Get the Recipe: Arugula Pesto
Penne with Pesto
Lamb and mint pesto tossed with penne makes for a hearty dinner that still nods to spring. It’s a great Earth Day pick when you want something filling but still seasonally on point.
Get the Recipe: Penne with Pesto
Matcha Mint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
This green dessert checks the box with coconut milk, matcha, and plenty of chocolate chunks. It’s cold, refreshing, and easy to make ahead if Earth Day temps are creeping up.
Get the Recipe: Matcha Mint Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
Chicken Saag
Spinach-heavy chicken saag is bold, comforting, and loaded with greens. It’s quick enough for a weeknight and brings the color without getting too precious about it.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Saag
Matcha Bread
This subtly sweet matcha bread brings some green to the snack table without being fussy. Bake it ahead and slice it up for your Earth Day brunch or afternoon tea situation.
Get the Recipe: Matcha Bread
Green Oatmeal
Spinach sneaks into your morning bowl without tasting like a salad. This green oatmeal works especially well for Earth Day breakfast when you want to start the day on a cleaner note.
Get the Recipe: Green Oatmeal
Leek Apple Cheddar Soup
Leeks, apples, and cheddar come together in a creamy soup that fits those in-between spring days. Add a handful of walnuts and cranberries on top and you’ve got a great Earth Day dinner that’s still weather-flexible.
Get the Recipe: Leek Apple Cheddar Soup
Blueberry Avocado Pancakes
These pancakes are rich from the avocado and burst with blueberries. They’re a solid Earth Day breakfast when you want something real, not just another banana-on-toast situation.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Avocado Pancakes
Radish Greens Pesto
Save the radish tops and turn them into a pesto instead of tossing them. This low-waste recipe is all about working with what you’ve got, which fits the Earth Day vibe perfectly.
Get the Recipe: Radish Greens Pesto
Pickled Fennel Citrus Salad
Grapefruit, pomegranate, and pickled fennel give this salad some bite and brightness. It’s crisp, fresh, and perfect for the back half of April when heavier meals start feeling off.
Get the Recipe: Pickled Fennel Citrus Salad
Citrus Salad
Oranges, grapefruit, mandarins, and crisp lettuce pull together with feta and a honey dijon dressing. This one’s a quick Earth Day salad that makes use of the last of the winter citrus.
Get the Recipe: Citrus Salad
Shaved Asparagus Blood Orange Salad
Asparagus and blood oranges are late spring stars, and this salad keeps them front and center with a crunchy quinoa topping. It’s light, bright, and doesn’t need anything fancy to work.
Get the Recipe: Shaved Asparagus Blood Orange Salad
Pickled Beet Salad
Beets, feta, and citrus dressing make this a bold but balanced salad. It’s a smart way to keep things simple and seasonal with ingredients that don’t ask for much.
Get the Recipe: Pickled Beet Salad
Lemony Shaved Asparagus Salad
Raw asparagus, cherry tomatoes, lemon, parmesan, and basil pull together in a way that screams late April. It’s sharp, fresh, and great for an Earth Day dinner that doesn’t involve a grill.
Get the Recipe: Lemony Shaved Asparagus Salad
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.