Whether you pledged to shop more fruit and veg in season to minimise your environmental footprint with our Climate Action initiative, or you know seasonal food tastes the best, is healthier, and saves you money, we got you covered with our guide to the UK seasonal produce!

Food production is often just getting started this month as the weather starts to warm up a little more. Many overwintered crops are finishing around now, but those much-awaited new roots, shoots and fruits are starting to come through too.

Looking for a seasonal treat? The first few UK strawberries are ready to pick, especially if they’ve been grown in greenhouses in the southern counties, and there are some tasty baby vegetables to cook up. Look out for delicious Jersey Royal new potatoes too.

Here’s what’s at its absolute best over the next few weeks. Enjoy!

May is a bountiful month for fresh seasonal fruit and veg. Make the most of the short asparagus season by steaming, griddling or roasting the tender stems. Add fresh colour to your meals with red peppers and sweet Piccolo tomatoes, while leafy spinach and spring greens are perfect for using in soups or vegetarian pies.

Asparagus

The British asparagus season officially runs from the 23rd April to the 21st June – so make the most of it while you can! The name ‘asparagus’ comes from the Persian word for sprout, as the spears force themselves upwards out of the soil at such a fast rate: there are reports of them growing more than 10cm in 24 hours.

Tip: To prep, bend each stalk until the stem snaps off at its natural break point. This bit you’re left with, no longer attached to the spear, will be woody and stringy to eat, but you don’t have to bung it in the compost bin just yet. Instead, try making a stock to use in soups or green veg-heavy risottos.

Try the stems in a light spring quiche, wrap in Filo pastry and serve with whipped feta cheese for a different take on finger food, or get them on the grill in these asparagus and chorizo skewers for your next barbecue starter.

For an easy family dinner, try Good Food’s lemon roasted spring chicken with asparagus – a simple traybake that lets the oven do the work. Or treat yourself to a completely new way with this spring veg, make asparagus fries and baconnaise for a decadent starter.

For more recipes, visit Good Food’s asparagus collection.

Cucumber

There’s more to cucumber than Greek salads and tzatziki (although we’re big fans of both). On warm spring days, serve this refreshing cucumber soup – served chilled and packed with herbs for a light lunch. If you’re entertaining, make cucumber prawn cocktail cups recipe for people to share.

Peppers

Bright, sweet and versatile, bell peppers are a firm favourite in lots of Mediterranean dishes. Yellow and orange peppers are generally the sweetest, while green ones have a more bitter flavour. Chargrill peppers to give them a delicious smoky flavour that packs a punch in this chargrilled chicken and pepper sandwich. For an easy midweek meal, try a colourful veggie spaghetti peperonata or veg-filled lighter toad-in-the-hole.

New Potatoes

Naturally slightly sweeter than fully grown potatoes, these taste great in salads or thinly sliced on a white pizza with cheese and rosemary. And surely no barbecue or garden party is complete without a big bowl of potato salad? If you’ve got time to spare on a weekend, bake Good Food’s hearty new potato & rosemary focaccia recipe.

Tip: Dressing the potatoes while they’re still warm helps them soak up all the flavour.

Visit Good Food’s new potato recipe collection for more suggestions.