Yes, it is possible to buy most foods all year round now, but that means that many will have been flown in from afar. This spring, stick to locally grown fare and see what a difference it can make.

Home-grown foods are often cheaper, and can have a higher nutrient content because they are fresher �?though you still need to prepare and cook them carefully to benefit. They also tend to be tastier, as they have been grown for flavour and not just for appearance or resilience, as some of the imported varieties are.

Your local market will give you the best value for home-grown fruit and veg in season. There are also more farmer's markets springing up around the country (check out farmersmarkets.net to find your nearest). Your local supermarket will sell lots of seasonal foods too, so check the labelling for country of origin. If you can't find it �?make a fuss! Supermarkets need to respond to customers' requests.

What about Fruit?
It's true that lots of the fruit we eat has always been imported �?citrus fruits and bananas, for instance. Though these tend to be shipped in (less costly than flying) and they do still have their seasons.

So What Should I Eat Right Now?
In April and May you can enjoy spring greens, green cabbages, parsnips, purple sprouting broccoli, flat green beans, carrots, celery, celeriac, Jerusalem artichokes, watercress and spinach. For fruit, enjoy juicy lemons, oranges and grapefruit �?and make the most of the last of the Bramley, Cox and Russet apples. The first of the outdoor rhubarb becomes available now, so enjoy it in compotes and low fat fools.

Enjoy wild salmon and sea bass in late April and throughout May, and if you love seafood, try cockles in some of your recipes. Cook them like mussels and enjoy them in a tomato sauce to serve with pasta. Of course, new season lamb mustn't be missed �?so delicious when simply cooked with rosemary and garlic. Duck is good in May too, though try to avoid eating the duck fat!

Some Tasty Ideas:

Soups:

Try Carrot, Ginger and Cumin. Chop 500g carrots and put them into a saucepan with 1 large chopped onion, 2 garlic cloves and ½ tsp ground cumin. Add 1 litre of vegetable stock, simmer until cooked, then add 1 tsp freshly grated ginger. Blend until smooth, then serve. Serves 4.

You can also make a filling Core�?Watercress, Spinach and Potato Soup. Just pack 100g thoroughly washed spinach into a saucepan with 50g watercress. Add 1 medium chopped onion, 1 garlic clove and 1 chopped medium potato. Pour in 1 litre of vegetable stock and simmer until cooked. Blend until smooth with 100g low fat soft cheese, then reheat. Serves 4.

Salads:

Try grated celeriac, grated carrot and shredded green cabbage with a low fat plain yogurt dressing. Add sultanas and sliced radish too, if you like.

Spinach and watercress are so good for you! Combine them with sliced orange segments and a few toasted pine nuts for a delicious salad. Add seasoned rice vinegar for a tasty dressing.

Chopped Cox's apples combined with sliced celery in low fat plain yogurt makes a refreshing salad. Serve on a bed of spinach or watercress for more iron and vitamins.

Mains:

Try grilling lean lamb steaks with finely grated lemon zest and chopped fresh rosemary for a fragrant, succulent treat. Excellent served with couscous soaked in hot vegetable stock.

Before you cook a whole duck, pierce the skin several times all over with a skewer, then pour boiling water over the bird. Do this 2 or 3 times. Roast on a rack so that all the fat drips away, and cook slowly at 180°C / fan oven 160°C / Gas mark 4 for about 2 hours. Carve and serve without the skin with fresh vegetables. Duck also tastes great with the spinach, watercress and orange salad above �?you could simply tear up one duck breast per person (without skin) and arrange it on top.

Grill fresh salmon fillets for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve with lemon wedges on potato and celeriac mash. Avoid overcooking salmon �?or else it will be dry.

Sea bass can be baked in foil with tomatoes, lemon slices and rosemary. It will cook in 15-20 minutes at 180°C / fan oven 160°C / Gas mark 4. Just make sure that the flesh flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Vegetables:

Roast carrots with a few whole cumin seeds, a little grated root ginger and some orange juice. Delicious with lamb.

Stir-fry green cabbage with celery, purple sprouting broccoli, onions, carrots, leeks and flat green beans for a tasty seasonal treat.

Eat purple sprouting broccoli steamed, sprinkled with a little freshly ground nutmeg and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Asparagus has a short season of about six weeks, and is available from around mid April until mid June. Enjoy its freshness and superb flavour. Cook it simply and as often as possible whilst it's around. It's the perfect accompaniment to grilled fresh salmon for a special meal.

Quick Puds:

Never underestimate the simple pleasure of stewed fruit. Simmer Cox's apple slices in a little water with a piece of pared lemon zest. Add sweetener if you need to, then serve with low fat fromage frais or low fat plain yogurt. Do the same with rhubarb, though try it with orange zest instead of lemon.

For a lovely rhubarb fool, mix 150g low fat plain yogurt with 150g low fat soft cheese. Add ½ tsp vanilla extract and a little powdered sweetener, according to taste. Layer in pretty glasses with 225g stewed rhubarb, then chill until ready to eat. Serves 4.