Best 8 Family Meals That Are Cheaper To Make in Spring

Gina Hagler
Mariia Skovpen / iStock.com
Mariia Skovpen / iStock.com

Spring brings more than longer days and budding flowers. It also brings vegetables that are in season — meaning they are often grown in your region. Having plentiful crops of fresh vegetables, if imported or not shipped to market across the country, results in lower prices. You’ll also find farmers’ markets with stalls of fresh produce. As Carla Hall of Food Network and The Chew said, “Farmers markets in the springtime make me a little giddy — all that fresh new produce is so beautiful and I almost can’t wait to get my hands on all of it.” If you feel the same, here are several options for family meals that are cheaper to make in Spring.

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What’s in Season?

There’s a long list of seasonal fruits and vegetables available to you. Not only will these fruits and vegetables cost less but EatingWell said that “produce that’s in-season is in its most delicious and nutritious state. They count these 8 as the best budget-friendly options.

  1. Onions

  2. Peas

  3. Greens

  4. Carrots

  5. Asparagus

  6. Strawberries

  7. Pineapple

  8. Citrus

You’ll find more info and tips for saving money in the Spring from the Budget Mom.

Create a Satisfying Family Meal

Appetizers/Salads/Soups

You can start your meal with one of the opinions of these well-known chefs.

The fava bean spring pea hummus appetizer from Carla Hall is easy to make. If you have a food processor, you’ll zip right through it. If not, you’ll need to do the work to make a spread. When it’s ready, you’ll need bread or chips and you’re good to go.

The Food Network has no less than 22 spring salads that make use of fresh spring produce. They range from simple veggie-only options to more complex warm salads and variations on a Cobb Salad. One recipe requires you to make a parmesan cup for serving, but the rest are served traditionally.

Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa has a risotto recipe at Food Network. It takes just over 45 minutes in total. While you stir and keep an eye on it, you’ll have time to prepare a dessert or veggies.

If your family is more into soups, Ree Drummond of The Pioneer Woman has twenty-five soups for you. The Pioneer Woman says some can serve as a meal “on those nights when you don’t want to make a big mess or put forth a lot of effort.”

Side Dishes

It may seem redundant to mention vegetable-based side dishes when the entire meal uses fresh produce. Still, Rachael Ray’s spring vegetable saute uses carrots, asparagus, peas, and onions to create a sensational dish.

Barefoot Contessa’s spinach dish is also quick and easy to make — it’s beginner-level. With spinach and chopped garlic, you’re most of the way there.

Main Dishes

You have more options than you might think. Ina Garten alone has an entire page of spring meal ideas, including brisket, roasted chicken, and numerous vegetable and soup suggestions. Most are at the beginner level, so they’re worth a look.

Rachael Ray also has pages of spring meals that include beef, chicken, egg dishes, ham, meatloaf and pasta. Many of her recipes feature fresh corn off the cob.

Desserts

Ah… Dessert. For many of us, it’s the whole reason we came to the table. Spring brings a wonderful range of meal-enders.

Martha Stewart has a strawberry-rhubarb crisp that will make anyone who grew up with these veggies nostalgic. The recipe is accompanied by a video that takes you step-by-step.

The Food Network has thirty-eight spring desserts. Yes, you can entertain with these, but you can also treat yourself to something special. These recipes are from a range of Food Network stars, so you’ll see recipes by Ina Garten and others among these.

Mix and Match

Pick the options that you think will create an excellent spring meal for your family. With the recipes above, you’ll have more than enough opportunities for variety during the season.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Best 8 Family Meals That Are Cheaper To Make in Spring

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