Ingredient: Cucumber

Cucumbers originalted in India, where for thousands of years they have been valued for their cooling and hydrating qualities, just as they still are across the world today. They are classified as a fruit and are made up of around 95% water. This makes them especially refreshing in warmer weather and they also provide vitamin K for bone health, plus a small amount of vitamin C and antioxidants.

Cucumber is easy to add to your meals, you can toss it into salads, pop it into sandwiches, serve it with dips, or slice into chilled water with mint. It is a great and easy addition to lunchboxes or pair cucumber batons with carrots as part of an after-school snack as most kids will happily munch their way through them without thinking about it. They’re brilliant for quick dips like raita or tzatziki with yoghurt and you can marinate slices in rice vinegar, tamari and sesame oil for a quick Japanese-style pickle or blend them into a chilled summer soup such as gazpacho.

You can even place a slice over your own tired eyes if you need to after a busy day as the coolness helps to soothe puffiness as well as giving your skin a little hydration boost.

Most kids love cucumber, and it might be the only fruit or veg your child will eat….on repeat! Cucumbers are great fun to grow with your children too, even a small pot on a sunny patio can give you a good supply throughout the summer.