Spring on Your Plate: Why Asparagus, Spinach & Strawberries Shine Now

Did you know **one cup of spring spinach supplies 56 % of your daily vitamin A—at just 7 calories?** Seasonal eating packs nutrition and taste into every bite.

- Peak freshness = higher vitamins - Lower price & eco impact - Easy 10‑min recipe included

Seasonal eating means choosing foods harvested **in their natural season** and ideally grown close to you. For spring in Europe, that’s asparagus, baby greens, radishes and early berries.

| Food | kcal | Fibre | Vitamin C | Folate | |------|------|-------|-----------|--------| | Asparagus | 20 | 2 g | 6 mg | 52 µg | | Spinach | 23 | 2.2 g | 28 mg | 194 µg | | Strawberries | 32 | 2 g | **59 mg** | 24 µg |

1. **Higher antioxidant content** – produce can lose up to 45 % of vitamin C after two weeks in storage. 2. **Price advantage** – supply peaks cut market cost by ~25 %. 3. **Eco impact** – local spring veg cuts transport CO₂ by 70 % compared with imported greenhouse crops.

- **Pesticide residue**: opt for organic when budgets allow. - **Pollen‑food syndrome**: birch‑allergy sufferers may react to raw strawberries—cook briefly to reduce IgE binding.

**10‑minute sauté**: Toss sliced asparagus & spinach in olive oil, finish with lemon zest. **Breakfast idea**: Greek‑yogurt parfait with strawberries & oats. Aim for five seasonal portions daily (≈ 400 g).

| Myth | Fact | |------|------| | "Frozen veg are always worse." | Flash‑frozen spring veg can retain nutrients equal to fresh. | | "Seasonal = expensive." | In season often **cheaper** due to surplus supply. | | "You can’t get protein from spring greens." | 100 g spinach has 2.9 g protein—small but meaningful. |

👉 **Download our printable ‘Spring Market Checklist’** and track 20 seasonal foods on your next grocery trip.

Eating with the seasons boosts flavour, nutrition and sustainability—all in one forkful. Ready for summer produce next? **Stay tuned!**

1. EFSA. Dietary Reference Values for nutrients, 2024. 2. European Journal of Nutrition 63(2):345‑358, 2023.