Are you getting your five servings of vegetables per day? According to Queensland Health, the recommended daily intake is two servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables a day, with research from AUSVEG finding the average Australian falling short of these recommendations. Not only is buying fresh fruit and vegetables much cheaper than unhealthy snacks, but it is also so much better for our bodies. Plus, by purchasing fresh produce from your local, independent A better choice! retailer, you are also supporting local businesses and Australian growers.
North Queensland grown produce has started to slow this week due to flooding. However, there is still plenty of quality, fresh produce to be found at your local A better choice! retailer including our pick of the week: Gold Sweet Potatoes from Bundaberg. Sweet Potatoes are high in vitamins A and C, fibre and potassium, making them a healthy option to help get your five servings of vegetables today! This sweet and starchy vegetable is also packed with other health benefits, like promoting bone and skin health.
Also orange in colour, just as sweet and great value this week, are Kent Pumpkins from Gatton. Incorporating Pumpkin into your cooking is a fantastic way to increase your daily vegetable count. Try these Pumpkin Lemonade Scones or Pumpkin and Rosemary Bread. A great morning tea treat!
Cauliflower is in good supply from various growing regions this week, including Gatton, Victoria and Tasmania. Packed with nutrients, fibre and antioxidants, Cauliflower is super easy to add to your weekly meals. Looking for new ways to incorporate Cauliflower into your cooking? For recipe inspiration, head to the A better choice! website.
Stay as cool as a Cucumber this summer! Both Continental and Lebanese Cucumbers are great value this week, supplied locally from Gatton, perfect for salads, healthy snacks or to cool down after a spicy curry. Their high water content helps to calm the heat! If you are searching for flavoursome pairing for a Cucumber Salad, then red onion, mint and mustard seeds are a great combo. Feeling a bit fancy? Then try cucumber, cream cheese and smoked salmon on a cracker as a perfect palette pleaser.
Still in season and perfect for eating are Queen Garnet Plums from Victoria. With excellent growing conditions this season, these Plums are ripe and ready for you to munch on. These majestic plums have great benefits for your heart and enough sweetness for your soul.
You know what they say… an Apple a day keeps the doctor away. Just in season are Gala Apples from Stanthorpe and Victoria. Apples are an easy on the go snack, or for the perfect dessert why not try this Apple and Cinnamon Tart with a scoop of ice cream.
Competitive prices continue on Green Seedless Grapes with Victoria growing regions supplying these juicy green gems, providing the perfect snack. Full of flavour and packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals. Easy for the lunch box, or even a quick office snack!
If you are looking for a wide variety of quality fruit and vegetables that are fresh and perfect eating, look no further than your local, independent fruit and veg shop that displays the A better choice! logo. Their produce is from Australian farms and 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 50 wholesalers who receive fresh produce from over 7,000 growers and trade five days a week to more than 800 registered buyers.
