Life in the time of inflated fresh produce costs
There is a lot of chatter about the rising costs of fresh produce across food stores in Australia.
And understandably so with the escalating costs associated with supply chain issues of getting produce from the farms to our table.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ inflation figures released in September showed fruit and vegetable prices were some of the fastest rising in the economy, jumping by 18.6 per cent from a year ago in August.
The resulting rising costs and availability of fresh fruit, vegetables and other groceries in supermarkets and food-stores can be crippling for some people and frustrating for others. It is impacting individuals and families who worry about their ability to purchase their favourite fresh produce.
I would like to reassure you that if some of your fresh favourites are not accessible for you right now, there are other equally nutritious and delicious options. This includes frozen and canned fruit and vegetables which can pack the same nutritious punch as their fresh counterparts – and sometimes even more! Often there are opportunities to find produce grown in your own country, which also adds savings to your carbon footprint.
Benefits of FROZEN fruit and vegetables include that they are:
Picked at peak freshness and maturity, ensuring the best flavours and nutrient quality.
Available throughout the year.
Have a long ‘freezer’ life and you don’t have any waste as you just use what you need.
Washed, peeled and prepared for you and ready to consume.
Convenient, easy to prepare, saving you time and often also money.
Generally not including added salt or sugar.
Benefits of CANNED vegetables and fruit include that they are:
Also picked at peak freshness and maturity, ensuring the best flavours and nutrient quality.
Available throughout the year,
Have a long ‘shelf’ life.
They’re also washed, peeled and prepared for you and ready to consume - making them convenient, saving you time and sometimes also money.
Good to know: When it comes to canned produce, the main thing to be aware of is if salt or sugar have been added. I recommend reading the nutrition labels and choosing products in the range you want that have the lowest salt (sodium) and sugar. When buying canned vegetables, look for ones which say ‘no added salt’. If you can’t find a salt free option, the next best thing is to simply drain and rinse yours vegetables at the time of eating. With fruit its best to look for ones with ‘unsweetened’ or ‘no sugar added’ on its label.
FRESH PRODUCE:
When it comes to buying fresh food, when and where possible let’s support our local farmers who are also doing it tough, and seek out locally grown and seasonal produce.
Local markets are often a great place to shop. Many producers sell their freshly-picked goods direct to customers -often more cheaply than at a supermarket. There are often bargains to be found at the end of trading days.
Look out for items that are on special – there are often discounted fruit and vegetables in the fresh produce section of supermarkets.
To ensure you don’t waste any of your precious fresh produce, do a stock take of any older vegetables a couple of times a week and either use them or freeze them.
Check what foods you already have in your pantry:
Don’t forget your staples from your pantry. Many of us have fabulous nutritious staple ingredients in our pantry that we either forget about or just don’t know ‘how’ to cook. Get creative. Seek online recipes using these ingredients.
One top tip is adding a can of lentils to meat or vegetable dishes to provide nutritious, low-cost bulk.
Cooking meals in bulk when you can get plentiful produce at good prices means you can freeze for later.
Healthy eating is about doing the best you can with what you have available to you. Despite what our ‘wellness’ culture tells us, we don’t need to have fancy salads and green juices for every meal. Just adding them where you can will definitely help improve your health.
Romy Bursztyn
An Integrative Nutritionist, Health & Wellness Coach, Nutrition Educator, freestyle cook and home kitchen garden hobbyist.