Health library

April 15, 2024—Spring has sprung. And filling your plate with fresh fruits and vegetables just got easier.

Fresh produce gives you the best flavor—and eating seasonally may even mean low prices at the grocery store or farmers market. Plus, these spring fruits and vegetables are a great source of vitamins (including essentials like A, C and K) and minerals (such as iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium and potassium), along with delicious and gut-healthy fiber.

Celebrate your favorite spring foods—or discover new ones—with seasonal suggestions from the American Heart Association, Foundation for Fresh Produce, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and other experts.

Fresh and flavorful fruit

Strawberries add sweet flavor to your breakfast, salads and snacks. Eat them plain, dip them in melted dark chocolate—for double the antioxidants—or make a strawberry-rhubarb pie.

Or blend them into an after-school strawberry shake.

Fresh cherries are a sweet snack for the whole family. Eat them whole or use them to add a splash of color to your favorite salad.

Veggie heaven

Asparagus is the iconic spring veggie, whether raw, steamed, grilled or sautéed.

Sauté sliced or slivered asparagus along with sliced garlic and chopped tomatoes. Toss with cooked whole-grain pasta along with a spritz of lemon, chopped almonds, or even grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Root veggies such as parsnips, carrots and beets, can add color and flavor to your plate. American Irish stew with parsnips, carrots and potatoes is a good way to incorporate multiple root veggies in a hearty and satisfying meal, especially on cooler evenings.

Greens and herbs

Lettuce and other tender greens are among the first to poke their heads above the garden soil. Along with your favorite salad combos, try some varieties you haven't tasted in a while—or ever. You might just find a new favorite lettuce.

Spinach is packed with vitamins A and K as well as iron and folate. Throw it into a salad or get fancier with these herbed spinach quiche portabella mushroom caps.

Explore the season

Want to get the best produce available? Here's what to know about how to choose and store vegetables.

Sources

• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "Make a Fresh Start with Spring Foods." https://www.eatright.org/food/food-preparation/seasonal-foods/make-a-fresh-start-with-spring-foods.
• American Council on Exercise. "5 Seasonal Foods Not to Miss This Spring." http://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/blog/6993/5-seasonal-foods-not-to-miss-this-spring.
• American Heart Association. "Seasons of Eating." https://www.heart.org/-/media/AHA/Recipe/PDF-Files/seasons_of_eating_seasonal_produce_infographic.pdf.
• Foundation for Fresh Produce. "Spring Foods that Help People Eat Seasonally." https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/spring-foods-that-help-people-eat-seasonally/.