What to Eat This Spring (And Why It Matters)
Spring is here - one of the most exciting times of year in the kitchen. After months of root vegetables and hearty stews, spring seasonal produce starts filling the shelves - asparagus, strawberries, peas, arugula, radishes. Bright, fresh, and alive again. It's a shift worth leaning into, and not just because the food tastes better.
Here's what to know about eating well this spring.
Health Benefits of Spring Seasonal Produce
Spring produce tends to be lower in calories and higher in fiber than the calorically dense produce of winter - which makes sense, since our activity levels naturally increase as the weather warms. It's also rich in vitamins A, C, and K, along with folate, iron, and magnesium.
One of the biggest benefits of spring eating is what it does for your gut. Vegetables like asparagus, leeks, and leafy greens are high in prebiotic fiber - the kind your gut bacteria actually feed on. A well-fed microbiome supports immune function, nutrient absorption, and blood sugar control. It's a quiet but meaningful form of preventive care.
And beyond the nutrients, there's a simpler case for seasonal eating: produce that's in season is always at its most flavorful and nutrient-dense. It's also more environmentally sustainable, often more affordable, and a natural way to keep variety in your diet year-round.
What's in Season this Spring
Early Spring
Vegetables: asparagus, artichokes, arugula, carrots, leeks, peas, radishes, spring onions
Fruit: strawberries, rhubarb, citrus (still lingering from winter)
Late Spring
Vegetables: broccoli, fava beans, lettuce, spinach, new potatoes, zucchini
Fruit: cherries, apricots
How to Shop for Spring Produce
Spring produce is more delicate than what you've been buying all winter, so a few adjustments help:
Buy in smaller quantities. Strawberries, asparagus, and leafy greens can spoil quickly. Shop more frequently rather than stocking up.
Shop locally when you can. Local produce travels a shorter distance and arrives fresher.
Look for bright colors and firm texture. These are the most reliable signals of quality.
Go to a farmers market. It's the best place to find the highest-quality seasonal produce — and to stay up to date on what's actually in season right now.
How to Cook with Spring Produce
Because spring vegetables are so fresh and delicate, they really don't need much. The best cooking methods are simple ones: sautéing, steaming, blanching, or just eating things raw.
The flavors that pair best with spring produce are equally unfussy - fresh herbs like dill, mint, and parsley; bright hits of lemon; soft cheeses like goat cheese or feta; and good olive oil. That's the flavor profile of the season.
Spring Meal Ideas
Breakfast
Asparagus and herb omelette
Spinach and feta scramble
Smashed fava bean toast with egg
Strawberry and yogurt parfait
Lunch
Grain salad bowl with quinoa, arugula, roasted chickpeas, goat cheese, and herb sauce
Orzo salad with asparagus, peas, white beans, fresh herbs, and lemon
Mixed lettuce salad with roast chicken, shredded carrot, radish, feta, and lemon herb vinaigrette
Dinner
Spring minestrone soup
Sheet pan chicken with roasted spring vegetables - new potatoes, carrots, radishes - and fresh herbs
Lemon herb salmon with kale Caesar salad
Spring is a genuinely good season to be cooking. The produce does most of the work - you just have to let it. And if you'd rather hand that off entirely, Easyfeast builds its menu around what's fresh and in season, so your family gets the best of spring without any of the planning.
WashU Medicine. (n.d.). Eat for your health — most of us should eat more fruits and veggies: Springtime produce can help. Washington University in St. Louis. https://publichealthsciences.wustl.edu/for-your-health-most-of-us-should-eat-more-fruits-and-veggies-springtime-produce-can-help/
National Breast Cancer Foundation. (n.d.). 4 reasons to eat seasonally this spring. https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/blog/4-reasons-to-eat-seasonally-this-spring/
GrowNYC. (n.d.). What's in season. https://grownyc.org/whats-available/