Mid-year school holidays come to an end this week, so as all students head back to school and families return to their weekly routines, meal preparation and lunchbox madness begin for another term. This makes it the perfect opportunity for parents to encourage healthy eating habits by buying fresh, quality, and locally grown produce from your independent A better choice! store, where produce has been sourced through the Brisbane Markets.
Our pick of the week, and just in time for heading back to school, is Navel Oranges. Grown in the Burnett region as well as New South Wales and Victoria, supply is abundant this week with plenty of Oranges to go around. Get the kids in the kitchen to make these delicious White Choc, Orange and Macadamia Cookies. Not only will they have fun making these, but they can also enjoy them in their lunchbox in the coming week!
Hass Avocados from Bundaberg continue to be of fantastic value. These Chicken and Avocado Blended Burgers will become your weeknight saviours for time-poor parents; they are a quick and easy dinner for when you are busy with afterschool activities.
Lebanese Cucumbers are also in abundance from growers in Southeast Queensland, with value and quality both excellent. Back-to-school time can be overwhelming, so try not to overthink the lunchbox snacks – a simple raw fruit or vegetable is an easy option, and of course healthy! Whether they are preferred sliced or in sticks, Cucumbers are the perfect-sized snack for the trending bento boxes.
Fun fact: Did you know that Button Mushrooms, Mushroom Cups, and Flat Mushrooms are all the same type of Mushroom? The only difference is each Mushroom is harvested at different times. Button Mushrooms, Mushroom Cups and Flat Mushrooms from Stapylton are in excellent supply this week. Although they may not be the favourite vegetable for the younger taste buds, finding a way to incorporate them into your diet is a great way to add nutrition to your meals as they are high in vitamin D and rich in antioxidants. Try these delicious Ricotta Stuffed Mushrooms; they will leave you wanting more and more!
Another versatile lunch box favourite, the humble yet ever-reliable Carrot is also of great value for back-to-school this week. Raw or dipped in hummus, they are a great way to keep the lunchboxes colourful and nutritious. A good storage tip: if you are using your Carrots for meals, keep pre-cut raw carrots from drying out by placing them in an airtight container with a damp towel covering them. So, if you are looking for fresh, quality, and locally grown fruit and vegetables, visit your local, independent A better choice! store that sources their produce from the Brisbane Markets.
About Brisbane Markets
As Queensland’s only central fruit and vegetable market, the Brisbane Markets is the state’s most important centre for the marketing and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables. It records an annual trade of over 700 million kilograms of produce valued at more than $2 billion.
An important economic and employment hub, more than 4,500 people work or do business at the markets each day through over 170 businesses. This includes over 45 wholesalers who receive fresh produce from over 7,000 growers and trade five days a week to more than 800 registered buyers.
About Brisbane Markets Limited
Brisbane Markets Limited (BML) is the owner of the Brisbane Markets site and is responsible for its ongoing management and development.
BML provides infrastructure and services to facilitate the marketing of fresh food, flowers and other ancillary products for fruit, vegetable and flower wholesalers, retailers, provedores, secondary wholesalers, food processors, transporters, exporters, industry organisations and market support businesses.
More information can be found on our website: www.brisbanemarkets.com.au.
About A better choice!
The A better choice! retailers are hardworking local family business owners, who are passionate about fruit and vegetables, they are our experts in their field and provide excellent customer service… with a smile.
Here’s the thing: no one can match A better choice! fruit and vegetable retailers for FRESH! Every morning, they hand pick a diverse selection of high-quality fresh fruit and vegetables from the Brisbane Markets, sourced from thousands of Australian farms.
Make your first choice A better choice! with local retailers throughout Southeast Queensland including Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Tweed Heads. Please click on the link to find your local fruit retailer www.abetterchoice.com.au/store-locator/ . By shopping at your local fruit and veg shop, you are making A better choice!
About Brismark
Brismark is a member organisation which represents and serves the needs of the wholesaling sector of the fresh fruit and vegetable industry – in particular, the primary wholesalers that operate out of the Brisbane Markets at Rocklea. Brismark provides industry representation, and a range of financial and business services to support the wholesaling sector of the fresh fruit and vegetable industry and their associated businesses and actively contributes to strengthen the Central Market system. Brismark also oversees the A better choice! retailer program in Queensland.
