Seasonal Eating: Spring
As the awakening of nature whispers to our ears, there is nothing better than to enjoy the freshness of newly arrived greens, while still knowing we can cosy up with a warm soup for colder days. Spring in the UK offers a wealth of seasonal fruits and vegetables, perfect for delighting salads, bakes, and soups.
Eating seasonally brings multiple benefits for both health and the environment. Seasonal produce is often fresher, more nutrient-rich, and harvested at peak ripeness, retaining more vitamins and minerals compared to foods picked early and transported long distances. This freshness enhances flavour, making seasonal foods naturally tastier. Choosing seasonal foods also supports a more sustainable food system by reducing long-distance transport, cutting carbon emissions, and supporting local farmers. Eating seasonally encourages dietary variety, providing a broad range of nutrients and adding diversity to meals.
Aligning your diet with the seasons lets you enjoy fresher, more flavourful food while promoting sustainability and strengthening local economies.
Here’s a list of some key foods available during spring:
Vegetables
• Artichokes – Best enjoyed when steamed, roasted, or added to casseroles, soups, and salads.
• Asparagus – Can be roasted, steamed or baked; it’s a wonderful green addition to pasta or any side dish.
• Root vegetables (carrots, parsnips and turnips) – Can be roasted, stewed, mashed or added to soups.
• Celeriac – Often used as a base for stocks and stews; can also be enjoyed braised.
• Cress – Perfect for salads, stews, and as a side dish.
• Cauliflower – Great for roasting, in soups, or as a puree.
• Leeks – Ideal for soups, roasting and classic French dish ‘Leeks in vinaigrette’
• Purple sprouting Broccoli – Can be roasted, steamed, or blended into soups.
• Cabbage – Use in stews, casseroles, and stir-fries.
• Spinach – Enjoy it fresh in salads, wilted in pastas, or blended into warming soups.
• Chard – Perfect for steaming, boiling or roasting. Its crunchy texture adding a unique element to salads.
• Rocket lettuce – Perfect for a side a greens and replenishment of vitamins.
• Potatoes – Perfect for roasting, puree, cold salads and so much more.
• Radish – Perfect for both raw and cooked dishes. Its crunchy texture adding a unique element to salads, while roasting brings out its peppery flavour.
Fruits
• Apples – Perfect for pies, crumbles, and cider.
• Rhubarb – Perfect for crumbles, pies or compote.
• Pears – Lovely in desserts, salads, or roasted with savoury dishes.
• Citrus (lemon and clementine) – Lovely for a snack, in juice form and in salad dressings.
Herbs
• Parsley – Perfect for roasting meats and vegetables.
• Spring onions – A great match with root vegetables and stews.
• Thyme – Adds warmth to roasts and stuffings.
• Elderflower – Its sweet and comforting flavour is a popular addition to pies and seasonal drinks.
Nuts
• Walnuts – Great for baking, salads, or simply toasted.
• Almonds – Great for simply enjoying in a granola bowl, in baking or toasted in a salad.
• Pecans – Great for baking pecan pies or as a crunchy twist in salads.