The Twenty Bag model lets you opt in or out every week—no contract. This is a super setup particularly for people like me in a small household where it may take longer than a week to use all the goodies. In this case it was a couple of weeks, but everything is so handpicked fresh that the veggies keep far better than commercial ones when stored properly.

I was so excited to see the season’s first snow pea harvest in this week’s bag. Crunchy and sweet, they are great tossed in a salad or munched on raw, which I’ve been unable to stop doing ever since they popped up in my kitchen. I also like to add them to my prosciutto pasta sauce, a creamy, no-fuss dish that, while great all by itself, gets a little kick from these healthy legumes. Store the sturdy pods in a reusable veggie bag to seal in their crisp texture.

I’ve found that making a list of the weekly haul helps to organize meals and ensure that no veggie is forgotten in the recesses of the fridge. If some of the more delicate leafy greens start to look sad though, no worries! Treat them like you do a bouquet of flowers and snip about a half inch off the ends and store them upright in a cup of water.

In any event—don’t let them spoil! If you’re short on time, you can extend the life of heartier veggies by blanching them in boiling water that’s “salty as the sea” (taste it while still cool, you’ll know). About three minutes is all it takes, then, removing with tongs, plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking and drain in a colander as I did with this beautiful broccoli. Toss the vitamin-rich cruciferous when cool in a citrusy dressing for a bright springtime side dish.

Inspired by a creamy coleslaw recipe Post House chef Nathan Hood had recently given me, I dug out from the depths of my fridge a beautiful head of red cabbage—sweeter than the green—along with some rainbow carrots from a previous week’s Twenty Bag. The slaw came together in a snap and is a refreshing, summery side for a burger or ribs.

I also love the crazy-sweet rainbow carrots sliced into little sticks and served super cold with my house-made hummus. A healthier appetizer there is not, plus it’s so easy and cheap to make, why not make your own?