April in the UK is a month of transition, where the chill of winter gradually gives way to the warmth of spring. As the days get longer and temperatures rise, the earth comes alive with vibrant, seasonal produce. It’s a time to enjoy the fresh flavours of spring.
Eating seasonal food offers numerous benefits — from better taste and nutrition to reducing your carbon footprint. So, what’s in season in the UK this April? Let’s take a look at the freshest fruits, vegetables, and herbs to add to your plate this month.
The Harvst WaterMate, ensures that your plants get the best conditions possible with regular, automated watering and a consistent environment. And with all that time you save on watering by hand, you’ll be free to harvest your crops.
Vegetables In Season in April
Asparagus One of the true highlights of the spring season, British asparagus typically starts appearing in April. Known for its tender spears and delicate flavour, asparagus is a springtime favourite. It’s perfect for roasting, grilling, or lightly steaming, and it pairs beautifully with eggs, butter, or even a squeeze of lemon. Asparagus is packed with antioxidants, fibre, and folate, making it a nutritious addition to your meals.
Spinach Fresh, tender spinach is abundant in April. Whether you’re adding it to salads, smoothies, or sautéing it with garlic for a side dish, spinach is a versatile green that’s both nutritious and delicious. Packed with iron, vitamins, and minerals, spinach offers plenty of health benefits, especially when consumed fresh in the spring.
Spring Onions Spring onions, or scallions, are some of the first alliums to arrive in spring, and they’re perfect for adding a milder, fresher flavour to your dishes. You can use them raw in salads, salsas, or sandwiches, or gently sauté them for a subtle addition to soups and stir-fries. Their bright, zesty flavour makes them an excellent garnish or topping for almost any dish.
Purple Sprouting Broccoli April is the tail end of the purple sprouting broccoli season, but it’s still a great time to enjoy this vibrant, tender vegetable. With its delicate, sweet flavour, purple sprouting broccoli can be roasted, steamed, or added to stir-fries. It’s rich in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate and fibre, making it both tasty and nutritious.
Radishes As the weather warms, radishes start to come into season in April. These crisp, peppery root vegetables are perfect for adding a bit of crunch and spice to salads or serving as a snack with butter and salt. Radishes are low in calories and packed with antioxidants and vitamin C, making them a refreshing and healthy addition to your diet.
Carrots British carrots are available year-round, but they’re especially sweet and tender in April, having been harvested through the colder months. Carrots are incredibly versatile and can be eaten raw, roasted, steamed, or added to stews and soups. They are an excellent source of beta-carotene, fibre, and other essential nutrients.
Kale Kale is a hardy green that thrives in cooler temperatures, making it available throughout the spring months, including April. Kale’s hearty, earthy flavour works well in salads, soups, smoothies, and even as crispy kale chips. It’s a nutrient powerhouse, packed with vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, and antioxidants.
Cabbage April sees the continued availability of spring cabbages, which are typically more tender and sweeter than the hardier winter varieties. Cabbage is versatile, perfect for making slaws, stir-fries, or stews. It can also be used to make traditional dishes like colcannon or sauerkraut.
Fruits In Season in April
Rhubarb Rhubarb is one of the first fruits of the season and a quintessential springtime ingredient. With its tart, tangy flavour, rhubarb is perfect for making crumbles, pies, jams, or compotes. Although technically a vegetable, it’s often treated like a fruit in the kitchen and pairs beautifully with sweet fruits like strawberries. It’s a good source of dietary fibre, vitamins K and C, and antioxidants.
Apples While apple season is typically autumn, late varieties of British apples, like Bramley and Russet, can still be found in April. These apples are perfect for making crumbles, pies, or applesauce. Apples are rich in fibre and vitamin C, making them an excellent snack or ingredient for both sweet and savoury dishes.
Pears Much like apples, pears from the late harvests are still available in April. Varieties such as Conference and Comice are at their peak, offering a crisp, juicy texture with a balance of sweetness. Pears are great on their own, in salads, or poached in wine, and they are packed with dietary fibre and vitamin C.
Citrus Fruits While citrus fruits are not grown in the UK, imported varieties such as oranges, grapefruits, and lemons are still in season during April. These fruits are bursting with vitamin C and add a zesty freshness to salads, marinades, and desserts. They are also perfect for juicing or making refreshing drinks.
Herbs In Season in April
Mint Fresh mint begins to emerge in April, with its fragrant, cool flavour adding a refreshing note to both sweet and savoury dishes. It’s a fantastic addition to spring salads, drinks like mojitos, or as a garnish for desserts. Mint also pairs wonderfully with lamb, peas, and new potatoes.
Chives Chives are one of the first herbs to make an appearance in spring, offering a mild onion flavour. Perfect for sprinkling over salads, eggs, or potatoes, chives are also great in dips or homemade butters. They’re easy to grow and provide a lovely fresh addition to your spring meals.
Parsley Parsley is available year-round, but it is especially vibrant and fresh in April. It’s an excellent herb for adding brightness to a range of dishes, from soups and stews to salads and dressings. Parsley is also packed with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as antioxidants.
April is an exciting month for seasonal eating in the UK. Whether you’re roasting asparagus, making a rhubarb crumble, or enjoying a spring salad, April’s seasonal produce is sure to bring a burst of freshness to your meals.