This month, we’re highlighting the benefits and versatility of ASPARAGUS! Our goal with each new vegetable spotlight is to encourage adventurous, healthy eaters at school and at home. Through exposure to Veggies Early & Often, we know children can learn to love them in support of a lifetime of good choices. Embracing this campaign at home and leading by example are key elements of making a plant-forward lifestyle successful.
Asparagus is a healthy addition to everyone’s diet—at all ages! It’s rich in many vitamins (including A and C), minerals, and folic acid. Asparagus also provides a good amount of fiber to support gut health. As with any high-fiber selection, it’s important to make sure you’re drinking enough water during the day to help provide digestive balance.
Asparagus is sold fresh, frozen, and canned. When purchasing fresh asparagus from the produce section, look for stalks that are firm and smooth to the touch. Avoid stalks that appear limp, wilted, or wet. The tips of the asparagus should be closed or compact. When prepping fresh asparagus, you’ll want to remove the woody ends. You can do this using a knife or simply by snapping the ends off where it naturally breaks.
Frozen asparagus maintains its nutritious benefits, color, and flavor and is an easy option to keep on hand. As an added benefit, you don’t have to worry about using it before it spoils! Frozen asparagus can be substituted in most recipes and is a great option when fresh asparagus is out of season.
Canned asparagus loses its vibrant green color during the canning process. It also typically has sodium added to it. However, if given the choice to eat no asparagus or canned asparagus, eating the canned version is still worthwhile! It will have a softer texture than fresh or frozen options but can still be substituted in recipes where it’s used as part of a mixture of add-ins (vs. eaten plain).
Try these Grow Fit®- approved recipes to transform asparagus into a tasty side dish or meal:
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*This recipe is veggie-forward and approved by the Partnership for a Healthier America to meet the Veggies Early & Often guidelines. Approved 4/3/23
Ingredients:
Directions:
*This recipe is veggie-forward and approved by the Partnership for a Healthier America to meet the Veggies Early & Often guidelines. Approved 4/3/23