Back to School, Back to the Market: Nourishing Ourselves with Local Goodness

by Tammie Delveaux Rubenzer; Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner

As a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, this time of year always brings a gentle reminder that back-to-school season isn’t just about pencils, planners, and routines. It’s about coming back to ourselves—nourishing our bodies and minds so we can show up with energy, focus, and groundedness for the months ahead.

One of the most powerful ways we can support our health during this seasonal shift is by reconnecting with our local farmers and markets. Late summer and early fall are abundant with vibrant produce: juicy tomatoes, fresh greens, zucchini, peppers, sweet corn, and early apples. These foods are not only rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, but also carry the energetic imprint of the soil, sun, and community in which they’re grown.

Food grown close to home retains more nutrients because it spends less time in transport and storage. Fresh carrots from your local farmers market are not just a crunchy snack for your child’s lunchbox – they’re vegetables rich in beta carotene and fiber to support vision, immunity, and digestion. Pastured eggs from a small local farm provide a deep source of choline and omega-3s to support brain health, memory, and learning.

I often remind clients that preparing school lunches is an opportunity to infuse love and intention into our daily rhythms. Sliced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes become mineral-rich hydrating snacks. Homemade hummus provides plant-based protein and healthy fats to stabilize blood sugar and keep minds sharp throughout the day. Packing a thermos of leftover farm-fresh soup or roasted chicken with garden herbs can make lunch feel like a nourishing ritual instead of a rushed afterthought.

Shopping at local farmers markets also supports digestive health by exposing us to a greater diversity of microbes on freshly harvested produce. These beneficial microbes help build a stronger gut microbiome, which in turn supports immunity and emotional resilience—two areas that are crucial during back-to-school transitions when stress and exposure to new pathogens increase.

Beyond nutrition, visiting the market connects us to something deeper: the rhythms of nature and the faces of the people who grow our food. This builds gratitude and awareness in our children as they see real-life examples of stewardship, hard work, and sustainability in action. It teaches them that health is not something bought on a store shelf but grown from the earth, nurtured by human hands, and prepared with care.

As the mornings get cooler and the sun sets earlier, I encourage you to visit your local market this week. Bring your children along. Let them choose a vegetable they’ve never tried before. Plan meals together around what’s in season. Allow this ritual to anchor your family’s return to school with nourishment, connection, and intention.

Food is more than fuel. It is information for our cells, medicine for our bodies, and a daily opportunity to align with nature’s wisdom. Back to school can also be back to health—when we remember to start at the market.

Sample Healthy Meal Ideas

• Breakfast: Zucchini and cheddar egg muffins (bake in muffin tins for easy grab-and-go)

• Lunch: Turkey lettuce wraps with avocado and local microgreens

• Snack: Mini bell peppers stuffed with goat cheese

• Dinner: Grilled grass-fed steak with roasted sweet corn and garden herb butter

General Nourishing Tips

• Use grass-fed butter when cooking 

• Buy vegetables in bulk at the farmers market to prep meals ahead

• Make double portions of dinner for lunchbox leftovers the next day

• Always include a protein + fat + veggie in meals to stabilize blood sugar for focus and energy

Written by Tammie Delveaux Rubenzer; Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. Owner of Belly Love Holistic Wellness LLC. Book a nutrition therapy appointment or ask about a cooking class at bellyloveholisticwellness.com