What’s in Season? Hop into April with these Spring Vegetables

By Katina Sayers

According to the calendar, the spring equinox began on March 20. For the Northeast, the spring eating season really begins in April making this month the perfect time to usher in a seasonal change in your eating habits. April is the month when we really begin to benefit from the higher position of the sun in the sky which warms the ground, and likewise, there is a significant gain of daylight hours. These conditions benefit farmers and likewise signals to the natural environment to start growing again after a long, cold winter. 

As the season changes, so should your food choices. I often recommend to my clients to “eat seasonally” and these days, we know there’s a lot of good reasons to eat in-season.

Foods eaten during their peak season:

• Are nutritionally dense

• Possess less pesticides, preservatives and waxes 

• Need less storage time

• Taste better

• Supports local farmers

• Promotes diversity and better balance in your diet

• Saves you money; it’s cheaper

• Impacts the environment less since there is less transportation costs involved

In April, look for these spring vegetables at your favorite grocery store or farmers market, and try out some new recipes.

What to look for:

• Asparagus

• Artichokes

• Bean sprouts

• Broccoli (check out this link for 41 Ways to Eat Broccoli)

• Carrots

• Fiddlehead ferns (try sautéing with garlic and olive oil)

• Garlic

• Leafy greens (arugula, kale, mustard greens, spinach, swiss chard)

• Mushrooms

• New potatoes

• Peas

• Radishes

• Rhubarb

Special note: In late March and April, New York has limited fresh produce but look for these foods specific to the Northeast at your favorite grocery store or farmers market: morels, horseradish, ramps (grows wild; look for shoots that resemble green onions), chives, sprouts, mushrooms, and nettles.

Katina Sayers is the owner/operator of Katina’s Nutritional Coaching Corner. She has an extensive background in health and education that began with degrees in exercise physiology, health and physical education, community health, and culminating with a doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction.  She completed an advanced certificate of study in Integrative Nutrition and Health Coaching from the renowned Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in New York City. For the last four years, she has worked one-on-one with clients, presented a multitude of nutrition topics for large and small audiences, contracted with businesses to implement worksite wellness initiatives, and currently manages day-to-day food service operations at a local non-profit agency, as well as directs activities related to nutrition and health. Katina can be reached at ksayerswalker@gmail.com.