Whether you’re a vegetarian or a meat-eater spring’s a great time to think about taking a ‘veg pledge’, enjoying the fruit and vegetables currently in season.

Eating fruit and vegetables increases your sources of essential vitamins, minerals and fibre - especially if you choose them when they are in season as they contain the nutrients, minerals and trace elements that our bodies need at particular times of year.

Here are some more unusual suggestions from the East of England Co-op to incorporate seasonal leeks, spinach, purple-sprouting broccoli and rhubarb into family meal plans.

These vegetables are available in stores as part of the East of England Co-op’s Sourced Locally range, fresh from the fields of local suppliers like Home Farm in Nacton, R Tacon & Son in Rollesby and Good Food Growers in Saxmundham.

Breakfast: Warming salad

Simply slice in half and grill two medium tomatoes, poach one medium egg and then combine with 150g of baby leaf spinach.

Snack: Leek and broccoli mini muffins

Blend 100g of cooked broccoli and leeks in a food processor and then combine this vegetable mix in a large bowl with 225g of self-raising flour and 40g of grated cheddar cheese.

In a separate bowl whisk 175ml of milk, one egg, two teaspoons of English mustard and 50ml of olive oil.

Gradually pour this liquid into the dry ingredients and mix gently.

Lightly grease a tray of mini muffin moulds, half fill each one with the batter mixture and sprinkle with a further 40g of cheese. Then bake in an oven at 200°C for 20-25 minutes, or until each muffin has puffed up.

Drink: Spinach and banana smoothies All you need to do is add half a ripe banana, two large handfuls of spinach and one cup of milk into a blender, along with a couple of ice cubes, and blend.