Something about sunshine and budding flowers makes fresh food even more appealing. Making a fresh, healthy spring meal to eat out sounds idyllic, but we don’t always have time for something fancy.
And that’s why this is a practical guide. Some of the meals here will be fancy, but they won’t take much time and will showcase seasonal fruits and vegetables. Buying seasonal produce can help you save money – and your meals will be that much fresher.
Without further ado, here is a practical guide to eating well in the spring.
Spring breakfast ideas
Spring breakfasts are a good time to use some products to accent common breakfast foods like eggs and oatmeal.
- An omelette with mushrooms, onions and spinach. Serve with a side of pineapple or with sliced avocado on top. A piece of crusty bread will go great with this dish as well.
- Rolled oats with banana slices, brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Buckwheat pancakes with banana slices and strawberries on top.
- An easier egg on a piece of fresh bread with cooked kale. Before cooking your kale, massage it with olive oil and consider grating flaked salt on top.
- Rolled oats with peas, onions, mushrooms and garlic for a savory twist to a commonly served sweet breakfast.
- Scramble a few eggs with broccoli, spinach and cheese.
- Homemade sweet potato fries with mushrooms, green cabbage and onions.
- Coconut yogurt with lemon, honey and a sprinkle of nuts.
- A scrambled egg with ham, broccoli, onions and cheese.
- Scrambled tofu with mushrooms, onions and spinach. Garnish with a little salsa.
Tips to help with meal prep:
- Cut veggies early in the week or use frozen veggies so you can cook them easily in the morning.
- Think of breakfast as an investment of your time. A high protein breakfast has been proven to be good for weight loss and a healthy way to start the day. by Healthline.
- Consider seasoning your food in layers. When making eggs, don’t salt them right away as this changes the moisture content. Instead, add your spices like pepper or garlic powder early and finish with a little salt. Add several layers of seasoning to give the food time to be well seasoned.
Spring Salad Ideas
Spring salads are a great opportunity to use vegetables like asparagus as a base and also experiment with your salads. Warm salads are a great transitional meal to get out of winter and into spring. Here are some ideas.
- Spinach, fresh mint, strawberries and walnut salad with a balsamic dressing or a quick dressing with crunchy mustard, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, cracked pepper and garlic. You may consider adding feta or goat cheese on top.
- Chopped broccoli, red onion, sunflower seeds, fresh basil and corn (cooked and cooled) dressed in a coleslaw dressing. You can add crispy wood-fired smoked bacon.
- Spinach, cucumbers, shredded carrots, peas, onions and fresh dill with a garlic ranch dressing.
- Asparagus, peas, spinach, kale and creamy lemon vinaigrette.
- Warm quinoa with spinach, carrots, peas, corn, dill and onions with a honey mustard vinaigrette.
- Chickpeas, cucumber, tomato, spinach and cabbage with an olive oil and garlic vinaigrette.
Spring Meal Ideas
Spring lunches are a good time to experiment with cold soups and to incorporate more fruit into your meals.
- For a lighter twist on a chicken salad sandwich, try a chickpea salad sandwich. You can serve with apple slices on the side.
- Risotto with peas, asparagus and lemon sauce with olive oil.
- Deviled eggs with a quick salad of spinach, kale and strawberries.
- Ravioli with broccoli, asparagus and spinach.
- Pea soup.
- Garlic turnip mash with roast chicken and a side of strawberries.
- Turkey sandwich with spinach and a side of baked carrots.
- Couscous with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, radishes, spinach and a mixture of fresh herbs seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice.
- Hummus spread on a pita stuffed with cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, spinach and radishes.
- Salmon on spinach.
Spring Meal Ideas
- Scallops with lemon juice and garden salad.
- Baked potato with broccoli, mushrooms and cheese.
- Parmesan-crusted chicken with asparagus and mashed potatoes.
- Roasted broccoli, potato, carrots, turnip and Italian sausage.
- Butterfly pasta with peas, parmesan, butter and red pepper flakes.
- Mushroom wild rice with carrots, celery, garlic and onions stuffed in a pepper.
- Pesto risotto with asparagus.
- Vegetarian lasagna with asparagus salad.
Spring Dessert Ideas
- Strawberry shortcake.
- Rhubarb tart with vanilla ice cream.
- Apple pancake.
- Pineapple Upside-Down Cake.
- Lime tart.
- Strawberry chocolate chip cookies.
- Lemon ice cream cake.
What vegetables are in season in the spring?
According to USDA Seasonal Produce Guidehere are the vegetables considered in season for spring.
- Asparagus.
- Broccoli.
- Cabbage.
- Carrots.
- Celery.
- Green cabbage.
- Garlic.
- Herbs.
- Kale.
- Lettuce.
- Mushrooms.
- Onions.
- Peas.
- Radishes.
- Spinach.
- Swiss chard.
- Turnip.
What fruits are in season in the spring?
According to USDA Seasonal Produce Guidehere are the fruits considered to be in season for spring.
- Apples.
- Apricots.
- Lawyers.
- Bananas.
- Kiwi fruit.
- Lemons.
- Limes.
- Pineapple.
- Rhubarb.
- Strawberries.