Eating seasonally is recommended as both the cheapest way for your family to eat, and to get produce when it’s at its best. It’s also best for the environment, as the food has been grown the closest to you.
I’m sure we’ve all eaten fruit or vegetables out of season and found them to be watery and tasteless. Before supermarkets, we just accepted that we couldn’t buy strawberries in winter, and ate seasonal foods that were in abundance.
So what’s in season for Spring?
Greens
Leafy green vegetables are the earliest Spring veg available. This includes kale, savoy cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. These dark green veg are great iron-boosters, high in fibre, and rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, and antioxidants.
How to use them:
All of these delicious veggies work well in stir fries, pasta dishes, and as a yummy side. Make a star of your savoy cabbage by stuffing the leaves with a delicious filling and braising, or use it as part of a classic bubble and squeak. Broccoli and cauliflower are great roasted, or served smothered in cheese sauce.
Leeks
Leeks are one of my favourites! They can be used in so many ways! Leeks can be used as a more nutrient-dense (and tasty) alternative to onions in a variety of dishes. They are higher fibre, and full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals like Manganese, Vitamin K, Beta Carotene and Iron.
How to use them:
Leeks are a perfect vegetable to add to soups and casseroles, with leek and potato soup being an obvious choice! Serve as a simple side dish by tossing in garlic butter and frying on a low heat for around half an hour. Leeks are also the perfect addition to dishes with creamy sauces, like risotto, pasta dishes, and pies.
Asparagus
Asparagus has a super-short season of just 8 weeks, usually considered to run from St George’s Day to Summer Solstice, depending on weather conditions – so be sure to get your fill of them! Asparagus, like most green veg, is full of fibre, vitamins and minerals like Vitamin A, B6, C, E and K, as well as iron, calcium.
How to use them:
Asparagus is a great choice to add to a roast dish, whether that’s one-pan tray baked chicken or salmon, or wrapped in Parma ham. Use it as the star of your risotto or pasta dish, add to an omelette, or incorporate into a quiche! Asparagus is also delicious eaten as part of a salad, or as a brunch dish with poached or soft-boiled eggs.
Rhubarb
At the beginning of the season, Forced Rhubarb – grown with processes to make it grow earlier and more quickly – is available in the early part of spring, and sweeter than traditional Rhubarb, which is in season towards the end. Rhubarb is high in antioxidants, Vitamins A, C and K, Potassium, Calcium, and fibre.
How to use them:
Rhubarb is a perfect fruit to cook or bake, mostly used in pies and crumbles and served with lashings of delicious custard! It is also an ideal topping for rice pudding, pancakes, and porridge. With the rise in popularity of eating fruit with savoury dishes, there are a few recipes out there to cook Rhubarb with pork chops or other pork products – I’m not sure I’m adventurous enough for that myself!
Beetroot
Whilst we might associate beetroot with other autumnal root veggies, it is available in Spring too, when it is sweeter. Beets are a nutrition powerhouse, full of key vitamins and minerals, such as Folate, Manganese and Copper.
How to eat them:
Beetroot is a super versatile vegetable with an earthy taste. It is delicious roasted and served as a side dish with your Sunday lunch, or as part of a salad. It can be used as an ingredient to hummus or falafel for a brightly coloured lunch. Traditionally, Beetroot is the key ingredient of Borscht, or pickled to make a delicious side. Beets can also be used as an ingredient of chocolate cake or brownies, adding extra moisture and health benefits!
Spring Salads
Whilst we might not be fully in salad season yet, Spring boasts a few delicious early salad veggies, like various lettuces, radishes, spring onions, and spinach. A side salad is a simple way to add extra vegetables and nutrients to your meal. You can add extra excitement to your spring salad by adding other seasonal delights like roasted asparagus, shredded cabbage, or pickled beetroot.
What’s your favourite spring fruit or vegetable?