Spring is a time when our bodies naturally crave lighter, refreshing foods. It’s also when we want to be outdoors more, enjoying warm weather activities, which leaves us with less time for cooking. With a bit of planning and prepping, you can spend your free time in the sunshine, not stressing in the kitchen.
Aim to eat all of the colors of the rainbow each day.
Making good use of the fresh fruits and vegetables of spring can help with that.
Though they may vary depending on where you live, seasonal produce in the spring usually includes:
· Apricots
· Artichokes
· Asparagus
· Avocados
· Carrots
· Chives
· Dill
· Fava Beans
· Fennel
· Leeks
· Mangoes
· Morels
· Peaches
· Peas
· Pineapples
· New potatoes
· Rhubarb
· Spinach
· Spring mushrooms
· Strawberries
· Tarragon
· Watercress
Here are some mouthwatering recipes that make good use of spring fruits and veggies to help you celebrate this vibrant season.
I recommended grabbing a sheet of paper, writing out the days of the week then breaking them down by breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Mix and match the recipes to plan a weeks’ worth of meals and avoid the stress of worrying about what to make for your family’s next meal or rushing to buy food at the last minute.
Use your plan to create a shopping list of all the ingredients you’ll need. Then set aside a couple of hours early in the week to meal prep.
Now let’s start with the most important meal of the day, breakfast.
Easy Roasted Spring Breakfast Skillet
Whip up this easy to make one-pan recipe made with spring vegetables you can find at your local greengrocer or farmers’ market. It’s full of nutrients and oh so delicious! It’s made with leeks which are an excellent dietary food that are very low in calories but packed with multiple healthy nutrients and phytonutrients.
Make a double batch to have enough for 2 – 3 days and don’t forget to save time by chopping the onions and leeks in advance during your meal prep session.
Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt Cups
For those days when you need a portable meal to take with you, try these convenient and super simple yogurt cups. A benefit of this recipe is you can easily swap out the ingredients so everyone in your household can have their favorite spring fruit. This is also a fun recipe for moms to make with younger kids.
Moving on to lunch.
I suggest turning to make-ahead salads for easy meals that are great for meal prep.
Bright Spring Green Salad
This one’s a delicious and healthy recipe that celebrates spring vegetables! The radishes in the dish provide a host of health benefits, from aiding in digestion to protecting the heart.
For a quick addition of protein, pick up a rotisserie chicken at the supermarket and toss a handful of shredded pieces into the salad. Meal prep the dressing and veggies in advance and add the salad greens when you’re ready to eat.
Springtime Cobb Salad
This version of Cobb salad gets a spring makeover with the addition of asparagus and radishes. It’s a great recipe to prepare and portion into glass containers for make-and-take lunches throughout the week. Add some grilled salmon or rotisserie chicken to make a heartier meal you can serve at dinnertime, too.
Lastly, for dinner.
It’s hard to beat the time-saving benefits of sheet pan meals.
Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi
This one’s a fast and healthy weeknight dinner you can make in just 15 minutes flat. Pick up some ready-to-go spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles to serve with this recipe and voila, dinner is served!
Sheet Pan Teriyaki Shrimp
All the key ingredients – shrimp, pineapple, and snap peas – are roasted on a sheet pan for a fast and healthy dinner with minimal cleanup. Not a fan of snap peas? Substitute asparagus, carrots, or broccoli. Or better yet – use a combo of these veggies.
Deliciousness in just 30 minutes!
There you go, recipes to use in your meal plan that celebrate fresh spring produce. Enjoy the goodness of these healthy meals and the time savings you’ll reap from meal planning and prepping!
Do you have a recipe you look forward to making in the spring? Share it in the comments.
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