Discover our colourful array of fresh fruit and vegetables now instore and some easy ways to help your family reach their 5-a-day.
Cherries
These are divided into three types – sweet, sour and hybrid and there are hundreds of varieties to choose from with colours ranging from yellow and pink through to deep maroon and almost black in colour. Look for smooth, firm and plump fruit, with unwrinkled skin.
Try…
Stewing a sweet variety of fresh pitted cherries until soft and juicy and serve with yogurt, or on their own – great for baby. For grown-ups, try adding a little kirsch to your cherry compote and use to top cheesecake or pavlova for a decadent dessert.
Peas
Children love peas and at this time of year they’re at their sweetest and best. Eat fresh peas as soon as possible to preserve their nutritional goodness. If you can’t get fresh peas then frozen ones are just as good.
Try…
Serving fresh peas with podded, boiled broad beans, chopped mint and feta cheese for a delicious salad. Or make baby a quick and tasty pea soup by whizzing peas with a little stock.
Potatoes
Sainsbury’s Majorcan potatoes are delicious at this time of year and their waxy flesh makes them perfect for boiling and dressing plainly with butter and herbs.
Try…
Tossing boiled potatoes with crème fraîche, horseradish, chives and crushed black pepper for a potato salad with a kick. For baby, crush boiled potatoes with mozzarella and a little tomato sauce for pizza-style potatoes.
Little gems
These are a lovely vegetable with small, compact leaves and a crisp heart, but some children can find them a little bitter on their own, so try the serving our tasty tip.
Try…
Braising sliced lettuce with peas and a little unsmoked bacon for a sweet and tasty dinner for your little one. For adults, make a delicious canapé by filling lettuce leaves with spicy chicken and mayonnaise or prawn and avocado, dressed with a little lime and chopped coriander.
Strawberries
Some of the best strawberries are our own British summer varieties. Make sure you choose the ripest medium-sized fruits for the fullest flavour and check the bottom of your carton to make sure they’re not crushed.
Try…
Treating your little one to a strawberry milkshake. Whizz a punnet of hulled strawberries in a blender with a glass of milk and scoops of vanilla ice cream until blended and pink. Or for adults, blend a punnet of strawberries until smooth, pour a little into the bottom of a champagne glass then top with bubbly – a fab party treat!
Asparagus
April-June is prime asparagus season in the UK. Not only is asparagus a good source of folic acid and vitamin C, it’s high in fibre and tastes fab (see our risotto recipe on page 34 and the tips below). Look for firm, straight shoots that have tightly furled tips. Rather than cutting off the ends of the stalks, bend them and the stalk will break where the woody part begins.
Try…
Steaming asparagus simply for 4–5 minutes and serving with melted butter or hollandaise sauce, or give to toddler as an alternative to soldiers with a boiled egg.
