It’s March! It’s spring. The sun is (potentially) shining. I think March is a great month for food, though of course it can be tricky in the day to day drudgery to get excited about food. If you’re wondering what to eat in March, you’ve come to the right place.
Isn’t it funny how you can almost tell the date by looking at a British dinner table in March? As those evenings get a tiny bit lighter each day, you can practically watch our eating habits changing with them! The sticky toffee puddings that got us through February gradually make way for lighter puds featuring the first forced rhubarb. Weekend cooking gets a bit more adventurous as we linger at the farmers’ market, can’t resist those first spring greens, and chat with the stallholders about what’s coming next. Even our midweek suppers shift – those lovely slow-cooked stews that filled the house with amazing smells all winter might appear less often as we free up time for an evening potter around the garden to check on the daffodils.
There’s nothing quite like that first slightly-too-optimistic outdoor meal, is there? Sitting in the garden with your coat still firmly on, but determined to celebrate those extra minutes of daylight! The soup pot hasn’t been packed away just yet though – this is Britain after all, and we might need to switch from salad back to stew at a moment’s notice if March decides to throw us a curveball!
I’ve put together a selection of recipes for you that are perfect for both week nights and weekends. You could follow my plan exactly, or you could pick and choose the recipes that you most like the look of.
I’ve included a selection of both warming recipes and lighter ones – because we know how unpredictable the weather can be in March.
What to Eat in March – In Season
Have you noticed how each corner of Britain has its own special way of celebrating the arrival of March? It’s really quite lovely! In Wales, you’ll find the first spring lambs making their way into a warming bowl of cawl, while up in Cumbria, folks are popping those first tender spring greens into their hearty hotpots. Down in Cornwall, fishermen are bringing in fresh mackerel again – often paired with early rhubarb for that mouth-watering sweet-and-sour kick we all love. Pop up to Scotland and you’ll see Cullen skink getting its springtime makeover with new potatoes, and if you’re wandering through the Lake District, you simply must try their dishes featuring wild garlic – the woods are absolutely carpeted with it! It’s that wonderful in-between time when we’re not quite ready to let go of our winter comforts but can’t resist celebrating those first precious signs of spring.
There are plenty of vegetables, herbs and seafood in season in March, including:
- cabbage (green, Spring greens)
- celeriac
- chard
- chicory
- kale
- leeks
- parsnips
- purple sprouting broccoli
- seakale
- spring onions
- swede
- cauliflower
- wild garlic
- lobster
- mussels
- salmon
- spring lamb
I’ve tried to include as many seasonal recipes as I can, to make sure that you are cooking and eating the freshest, most delicious food.
What to Eat in March
Week 1
In week one, we have some of my favourite recipes – a warming lightly smoked salmon dish, in season parsnips and a gorgeous roast chicken spread over two meals at the weekend.
Week 2
Week 2 features a soup that can be made with any of your leftover vegetables from the previous week, sumptuous tacos and a hearty stew.
Week 3
In week 3, we’re (hopefully!) feeling the sunshine with a fresh and light spring risotto, a tasty (and incredibly quick) penang curry and a slow roast leg of lamb to finish the week.
Week 4
Week 4 features an incredible recipe passed down through my family – Anglesey Eggs. You must try this! There’s also an incredibly special duck dish to finish the week.
Other posts in this series:
What to Eat this Month – April
What to Eat This Month – August
What to Eat This Month – September
What to Eat This Month – October
What to Eat This Month – November
What to Eat This Month – December