DLJ Produce

Vegetables and fruits becoming ripe in spring seems counterintuitive. After all, plants are just starting to bloom in the spring, right? Well, fortunately for your taste buds and your diet, dozens of varieties of locally sourced fruits and veggies are ripe right in your own backyard.

So, if you’re searching for ways to inject some nutrition into your diet or lose a few extra pounds before swimsuit season, these spring-ripened fruits and veggies are sure to spring clean your diet.

DLJ Produce provides fresh produce to local grocers nationwide.  While our focus may be on a particular line of produce, we love sharing healthy tips for your family.  Check out our commodity calendar of produce we provide in the USA.

Beets

Fresh beets are available throughout most of the spring, offering a burst of flavor to your salads or other entrees, as well as vibrant color. Beets offer a number of nutritional benefits as well, including:

• Folate
• Manganese
• Copper
• Iron
• Vitamin B and vitamin C

In addition to these nutrients, beets are also low in calories, allowing you to stuff yourself silly without the fear of additional calories.

Pro Tip: To get only the freshes beets available, look for ones with the greens still attached. This is a foolproof way to know that the beets have recently been harvested.

Asparagus

In season from March to June, asparagus is another way to spring clean your diet. Plus, they’re super versatile. You can sautee, grill, bake, or broil these little green spears with just a little bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and your preferred seasoning.

Asparagus also comes packed with plenty of healthy nutrients and vitamins, including:

• Vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin C
• Potassium
• Phosphorus
• Fiber

And like beets, asparagus is low in calories, so you can eat it to your heart’s content.

Pro Tip: If you want a little extra color to your meals, try white asparagus. These are a bit milder than green asparagus, they’re just grown with dirt on top so that the plant doesn’t produce as much chlorophyll.

Strawberries

March finally ushers in strawberry season! During the off-season, finding a flavorful strawberry is like finding a needle in a haystack. But now that local growers are harvesting, you should find these sweet, red morsels to your liking.

Strawberries come loaded with plenty of vitamins that support your immune system and a healthy diet, such as:

• Low in fat and calories, as 91% of the fruit is made of water
• Low amounts of carbs
• High in fiber
• Packed with vitamin C, manganese, folate, and potassium

Pro Tip: To get the best-tasting strawberries, look for ones that are ¾ red with just a bit of green. This means they haven’t quite ripened, but will in the coming days for the best flavor.

Lemons

Although you’re not necessarily going to eat a lemon by itself, they’re super ripe and juicy in spring to add to your favorite dishes. Squeezing them over fish or chicken adds a whirlwind of flavor, or you can just put it in drinks or cocktails for an added bit of citrusy goodness.

Lemons also provide a number of nutritional benefits, such as:

• Vitamin C and vitamin B6
• Potassium
• Low in calories

Pro Tip: Buy some of those strawberries and then add some lemons to make a refreshing, delicious strawberry lemonade!

Go Local

Even though supermarkets sell produce from all over the world, going to a local spot to get your fruits and veggies is a no-brainer. You support local businesses and local growers, as well as get the freshest fruit possible. For your community and your diet, nothing beats going local.  We work closely with local California farmers and ask you to also support your local grocers.