Ok, meal preppers. Spring is here, and that means seasonal spring produce ise starting to roll in. To this we say, bring it on!
For those of us who get excited when the seasons change because it means new fresh produce that we may not have eaten in a while, spring is just the best. We’re ready to put aside some of our meal preps with root veggies for a little and look for recipes that include the best of spring, right on a plate. Or in your meal prep container!
Want to unlock more free time each week? Join the Workweek Lunch Meal Planning Program with access to 600+ meals, our meal planning tools, grocery list generator and more. Start a free trial today!
In general, though, you can expect things like asparagus, radishes, kale, arugula, sweet peas, sugar snap peas to start showing up at your farmers markets. You’ll also see rhubarb, too, with its long reddish pink stalks and big leaves. Strawberries are not far behind once the rhubarb comes in.
But even if you don’t shop at farmers’ markets, you will see a lot of spring fruits and veggies show up at the grocery store more frequently and featured more prominently in the produce department, typically closer to the front. You’ll find that these ingredients are being sourced a little more closer to home in spring, rather than, say California or Mexico or Florida (unless, of course, any of those places are your home).
READ MORE: Seasonal Produce 101: How to Shop Seasonally and Save Money Doing It
Seasonal Spring Produce: Asparagus
Primavera translates to spring, and asparagus is typically one of the star ingredients in this veggie-friendly pasta dish. Our recipe includes cherry tomatoes, broccoli, and lots of other good things, but feel free to add peas (shell peas or sugar snap) if you like. It’s pretty easy to modify it. But it’s light and loaded with veggies and that makes it taste like spring to us!
Get the recipe: Pasta Primavera Meal Prep
Seasonal Spring Produce: Radishes
Radishes are a cool weather crop, which means you’re more likely to see them in season in the spring and the fall, although it’s possible to buy them all year round in the grocery store. There are so many different kinds, whether it’s French breakfast radishes or the very beautiful and aptly named watermelon radishes. There are so many kinds. But for this recipe for Fattoush Salad, any kind will do–even the standard issue red globe-shaped ones! Fattoush is a delicious and refreshing Lebanese salad made with greens, pita bread, cucumbers, radishes (naturally), parsley, and more. It’s a great salad to bring into your meal prep rotation if you’ve never had it and it’s especially refreshing as spring turns to summer.
Get the recipe: Fattoush Salad with Mint Dressing
Seasonal Spring Produce: Strawberries
Ok, so for a good part of North America, we are admittedly jumping ahead a little bit by bringing in strawberries. But you can start to see some really good strawberries come in from California in spring (you’ll know it because the price will start to drop, typically!). And so you can either buy some nice ones from the grocery store or wait until these great sweet fruits are in season; it’s your call. Sometimes I like to actually eat a little bit ahead of the season because I feel like it makes it come to me faster. (This usually only happens when I am tired of winter food and really looking forward to spring and summer items!) That’s all because hope springs eternal, as they say! And seasonal spring produce does the trick every time!
This meal prep uses baby spring mix salad greens, feta, chicken, and strawberries as its main stars, but you can use arugula or baby kale if you like, too. Goat cheese would work instead of feta, too.
Get the recipe: Meal Prep Strawberry Salad with Chicken
More Awesome Recipes!
- Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad
- Honey Lime Chicken with Asparagus and Sweet Potatoes
- Chinese Cold Sesame Noodles
Love seasonal recipes or just good recipes with lots of awesome fruits and veggies? Get more recipes like this in the Workweek Lunch Meal Prep Program with access to our meal planning tools, grocery list generator, and more. Start a free trial today!
Leave a Reply