With school holidays entering their second week, if you are running out of activities for the kids, it is a great time to get them in the kitchen. Spring is the perfect season to educate your children on healthy eating habits by encouraging the use of fresh produce in everyday cooking and baking. So, head to your local, independent A better choice! shop for fresh, quality, and seasonal produce.
This week’s pick of the week is Coriander. The spring air is having a positive effect on the supply of herbs right now, specifically the growers in Bundaberg and Victoria. Known for its distinct flavour, Coriander leaves are the perfect addition to curries, stews, salads, and sauces, or even just used as a garnish. You can also elevate your basic Fish Tacos or Mexican Mince Tacos by sprinkling some fresh Coriander on top to capture that authentic Mexican flavour. To keep Coriander fresh, place the bunch in a jar with about an inch of water, cover it loosely with a plastic bag, and refrigerate it.
Also grown in Bundaberg and Victoria is Parsley. This vibrant green herb is not just a taste bud pleaser, but it also has great health benefits. Parsley is rich in vitamins A, K, and C, as well as magnesium, calcium, and iron. Parsley, the herb known for its versatility, can also be added to soups, salads, stews, and sauces – give this Parsley, Walnut and Lemon Pesto Pasta Sauce a go.
Grown in Gatton, Basil is another herb to bring to the table this week. The rich aromatic flavour of Basil makes it the perfect ingredient for soups and salads. Here are three tips for cooking with Basil: one – always tear the leaves and avoid cutting to preserve flavour; two – when cooking with Basil leaves, add them to your dish at the last minute so they do not wilt; and three – when garnishing dishes with Basil, always use full leaves. Nothing beats the flavour of fresh herbs!
Asparagus is in abundance this week from growing regions in the Lockyer Valley, Gatton and Victoria. When selecting your Asparagus, be sure to pick a bunch with stalks that are firm and sturdy, tips that are tight and closed, and are a bright green in colour.
Nearing the end of their season is Quince. Quince is packed with fibre and essential vitamins and minerals, making it a nutritious addition to most diets. It is not too late; savour the flavour of Quince and make some Marmalade!
The supply of Mangoes is steadily increasing since the first symbolic tray of the season was auctioned last week at the Brisbane Markets Mango Auction, raising $66,000 for charities Redkite and The Lady Musgrave Trust, with winning bidder Chris Frame from The Standard Market Company taking out the title of Brisbane Markets’ Mango King for 2025. This is fantastic news for the Mango-lovers as there is nothing quite like the taste of a chilled Mango Hedgehog. If you are filling your fruit bowl with Mangoes, remember to keep unripe Mangoes at room temperature until ripe, then refrigerate to and serve chilled.
Find this week’s produce picks at your local, independent A better choice! shop, where you are sure to find a large range of fragrant herbs, fresh vegetables, and seasonal fruits sourced through 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.
