Wholesome Nourishing Recipes for Spring - Cotter Crunch (2024)

Here is a list of the best recipes for spring for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to make cooking easy with clean eating meals that nourish your body and keep you healthy! Vegetarian and dairy free options included! Keep reading to create a meal plan you love.

I don’t know about you, but I love fresh produce! There’s not much that makes me happier than walking into a supermarket or my local farmer’s market and seeing aisles and aisles bursting with bright colors from all the beautiful fruits and vegetables.Yes, spring has sprung, along with recipes for spring. 😉

Luckily, the aisles become even more abundant in color as so many great items come into season.To help you take advantage of all the incredible foods available, we’ve compiled a list of 18 different recipes to help you create nutritious meals all season long!

In-Season Foods for Recipes for Spring

Before we get into the recipes for spring, you might be wondering why it is important to eat seasonal produce. While fruits and vegetables that aren’t in-season are healthy, the best way to get the most nutrition out of all your meals is to focus on whole foods that have been recently harvested

Seasonal foods are those that are purchased and consumed around the same time period in which they are grown. This means they are not canned, frozen, or preserved. As a result, seasonal produce is fresher, tastes better, and often has more nutrients than it does when purchased out of season. Even better, in-season produce can usually be found at your local farmer’s markets meaning they’re often more affordable. Plus, shopping locally is a great way to support your local community!

If you’re looking for a complete guide to spring produce, check out this list from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, if you’re looking for a brief overview, the most common fruits and vegetables grown in spring include: apples, asparagus, avocados, broccoli, carrots, kale, lemons, mushrooms, strawberries, and spinach. Using these ingredients, you’ll be surprised at just how many incredible recipes you can make!

Spring Breakfast Recipes

You know what they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Whether you’re looking for something quick you can grab and go in the mornings or a warm, comforting way to start your day, we’ve got you covered!! These breakfast recipes utilize seasonal fruit and vegetables such as kiwi, strawberry, kale, and leeks!

• Kiwi Smoothie– This Kiwi Smoothie is made with refreshing flavors that improve your digestion and naturally detox your body for the best way to start your day.
  
• Kale Strawberry Smoothie – Made with a handful of healthy ingredients, this Kale Strawberry Smoothie is the easiest, kid-friendly breakfast you’ll ever find!
  
• Leek and Potato Bake with olive oil eggs or chicken sausage- Made in one pan, this Leek and Potato Bake is a nutrient-packed breakfast that can be modified to fit all your spring weekly meal plan needs. Top with protein of choice!
  
• Overnight Power Bowls – Whether you want spring breakfast recipes that can be prepped ahead of time or made in the morning, this gluten-free power bowl is just the recipe for you. Nutrient dense and filling!
  
• Vegan Apricot Oat Protein Bars – Sweet, salty, chewy, and dense, these Vegan Apricot Oat Protein Bars are easy to make ahead of time and take on-the-go!

Recipes for Spring Lunches

It wouldn’t be a spring meal plan without lunch, now would it? Take a work break and rejuvenate with these easy recipes perfect to take to the office or enjoy at home.These lunch recipes are meal prep friendly and utilize some of our favorite spring greens, berries, and prebiotic rich vegetables such as artichoke!

• Miso chicken salad wraps (use kale, cabbage, or Swiss chard for the wrap)– These Miso Chicken Salad Wraps are a convenient hand-held lunch to include in your spring meal plan.
  
• Swiss Chard Quinoa Wraps-Vegetarian, refined sugar-free, and full of antioxidants, these Swiss Chard Quinoa Wraps are delicious hand-held bundles.
  
• Strawberry Spinach SaladThis Strawberry Spinach Salad is a fresh and filling meal full of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber to keep you full throughout the day.

• Artichoke Pea Soup– This Artichoke Pea Soup can be eaten cold or warm for a flavorful prebiotic filled spring soup to keep your gut healthy.

Recipes for Spring Dinners

Complete your spring weekly meal plan with these nutrient-dense dinner recipes.Dinner recipes that spring produce such as cabbage, pineapple, garlic, radish, and new potatoes! Kid friendly, Whole 30, and low carb options!

• Pickled Pineapple Baja Fish Tacos– These Pickled Pineapple Baja Fish Tacos are made with Baja style fried fish wrapped in warm gluten-free tortillas for a recipe you’re going to want in your spring weekly meal plan!
  
• Garlic and Herb Cod Cakes with Air fried Vegetables – These Garlic and Herb Cod Cakes with air fried vegetables are light, easy, and paleo-friendly for a dinner recipe you won’t want to skip in your spring meal plan.
  NOTE — The cod cake recipe will be updated this week with an additional pan fried version! 🙂
  
• Persian-Spiced Pan Roasted Chicken– Made with Persian spices, a burst of lemon flavor, and tender veggies, this Persian-Spiced Pan Roasted Chicken is one recipe you’re going to want to include in your spring meal plan.
  
• One Pan Superfood Salmon– This One Pan Superfood Salmon recipe is made in 30 minutes with simple, nutrient-dense ingredients!
  

Spring Dinner Ideas Vegetarian Option

Whether you don’t eat meat or just want to lighten things up a bit, take a look at these spring dinner ideas for vegetarian options you’ll love.These dinner recipes utilize spring produce such as kale, mushroom, new potatoes, herbs and garlic, plus green onion!

• Egg Kale Lasagna-This Egg Kale Lasagna will be your new favorite meal prep recipe that is freezer friendly, high in protein, and Keto.
  
• Foil packet potatoes dinner– Made with simple ingredients and with minimal clean-up necessary, this Foil Packet Potatoes Dinner is gluten-free, vegetarian, and Paleo!
  
• Mushroom Millet Risotto– Heartier and more wholesome than original risotto, this Mushroom Millet Risotto is creamy and delicious for the perfect meatless meal.
  
• Veggie Socca Pizza– This Veggie Socca Pizza is an ideal option to add to your spring break meal plan for a meatless meal everyone will love.Egg free, grain free, and easy to customize!

Meal Planning Tips + Grocery List

Meal planning can be a daunting task, but creating a spring weekly meal plan doesn’t have to be hard! Especially when you pull from our lists of spring breakfast recipes, nourishing lunches, and spring dinner ideas.

First, find your favorite meals from each category. I recommend making multiple servings of each recipe to avoid spending hours in the kitchen and reduce your grocery bill.

Then, I find it helpful to write out a weekly menu mixing and matching the meals from each category above.

To make this spring weekly meal plan even easier for you, we’ve created a downloadable grocery list so you have everything you need to go shopping and get started in the kitchen!

Click below for a printable version of the grocery list.

Before you know it, you’ll have a whole week’s worth of super healthy meals to keep you on track on even the busiest weeks.

Of course, if you have any questions about how to structure your spring meal plan, please let me know by leaving a comment below. Or, head over to our Facebook group, and we can help you there.

Cheers,

LC