What's in Season for April

#whatinseason #StudioVegan #shoppingLocal

The best time for you to buy food is in season it's at it freshes.

Seasonal food is fresher, tastier and more nutritious than food consumed out of season. Even though we all like to eat strawberries year-round, the best time to eat them is when they can be purchased directly from a local grower shortly after harvest.

A lot of supermarkets like ( Wegmans and Whole Foods) Buy from the local farmer and due to the outbreak, these are the best places to go and get food.

Apples With so many varieties, apples can easily go sweet or savory and enjoyed as a snack, dessert, on a salad – the possibilities are endless.

Artichokes Don’t be intimidated by this spiky veggie! Artichokes aren’t difficult to prepare. Asparagus Known for being green, asparagus also comes in white and purple! A very good source of fiber, folate, and Vitamins A, C, E and K, this veggie is a great one to add to meals. Avocados Avocado lovers can rejoice – this favorite food is available year-round! Whether you’re topping toast. Bananas This favorite fruit is in season year-round making it easy to eat as a snack or add to smoothies, muffins, pancakes and turn into “nice” cream. Fun fact: the average American eats 28 pounds of bananas per year! Beets Beets get a bad rep due to their earthy taste, but roasting them brings out their natural sweetness and makes them perfect for adding to salads, blending into smoothies and more. Blueberries While blueberries can be found year-round in most regions, April to September is peak season. There are lots of great reasons to reach for blueberries. Did you know blueberries contain antioxidants that can improve vision, motor skills and reverse short-term memory loss associated with age-related disease? Bok Choy Bok choy is a type of Chinese cabbage with a mild flavor that’s delicious both raw and cooked. Broccoli This veggie is full of vitamins and nutrients your body needs. Fresh broccoli is available year-round and can be added to almost any meal. Cabbage Cabbage is full of Vitamins K, C, and B6, along with a whole list of other nutrients. Look for firm heads of cabbage with crisp leaves and a nice luster.

Carrots Carrots aren’t just for Bugs Bunny! This kid-favorite veggie can simply be served with a side of ranch for dipping, roasted (bringing out a natural sweetness).

Cauliflower Talk about a comeback veggie! Cauliflower is taking the culinary world by storm and popping up in everything from pizza crust to fried rice.

Celery This crunchy veggie is best known by kids as the base of Ants on a Log, but can also be used in many different ways to add flavor and texture to dishes. Citrus Fresh citrus like grapefruit, oranges, tangerines and mandarins are in season! As an excellent source of Vitamin C.

Greens Fresh greens like kale, spinach, lettuce, and many others are the basis for so many salad stir-fries.

Kiwi This little brown fruit was named after New Zealand’s national bird, the kiwi. Fuzzy and brown on the outside, bright green or yellow on the inside, this fruit adds color to any dish. Leeks Leeks have a mild, onion-like taste and are related to onions, garlic, shallots and chives. Make sure to thoroughly rinse leeks and pay fry with a paper towel before consuming. You can roast them, add them to a salad, use as a garnish for soups, add to casseroles and much more. Lemons & Limes Both lemons and limes are in season year-round and are great for adding flavor to dishes. Juice and use for a fresh, homemade salad dressing and so much more.

Mango Look for fresh mangos that give slightly with squeezed gently, these ones will be ripe and ready to eat! Keep unripe mango stored on the counter until ripe.

Mushrooms Did you know Mushrooms are the only natural food source of Vitamin D? Mushrooms are so versatile, you can blend and add to a lot of plant-based meals. Parsnips Parsnips are a root veggie, closely related to the carrots. In fact, they look just like pale carrots! We love to roast them to bring out their natural sweetness, but they can also be pureed for a delicious alternative to mashed potatoes. Pears Pears come in over 3,000 varieties! When selecting pears at the store, remember to Check the Neck. Apply gentle pressure to the neck of the pear with your thumb.

Peas While you can find frozen peas year-round, there’s nothing like fresh peas, which are in season during spring and early summer months. When buying peas, look for medium-sized pods with smaller peas for sweeter peas. Pineapple While pineapples are available year-round, peak season is March through July. This sweet fruit is full of Vitamin C, manganese, copper and folate! When picking a pineapple, make sure to give them a sniff – you should smell the sweet, distinctive smell of pineapple. Potatoes With more than 600 types of potatoes sold in the US, the possibilities are endless. While potatoes sometimes get a bad rep, skin-on potatoes are full of Vitamin C, potassium and Vitamin B6. Strawberries Florida strawberry season is in full swing! This favorite fruit has endless possibilities beyond just snacking.

Sweet Onions Onions are a staple in our kitchen and we use them in multiple meals each week. While I still haven’t mastered cutting onions without crying, we can’t deny they’re essential to adding flavor to everything.