Fresh Fruit Delivery in Melbourne

Considering the number of advantages gained from the consumption of fruit and how good it tastes, there it’s no wonder why it’s one of Australia’s most favourite foods. The mere fact that fruits contain a lot of vitamins and minerals that are essential to the body has made the demand for fruit increasingly high. While some people are capable of growing some of the fruit needed in their garden, most people rely on retailers.

People are also very busy with work, family and other commitments, and sometimes they simply can’t find the time to shop. This has resulted in an increase in the number of fruit delivery service providers in Melbourne over the past few years. 

The Market Runners are one such delivery specialists. All our clients have to do is jump onto our website and order the foods they want delivered on a once-off, weekly or fortnightly basis. We handle the rest!

Since most fruits are very delicate and can easily be damaged, it is important for all fruit delivery services to ensure that they take adequate measures to protect the fruit while ensuring its freshness. Many farmers use pesticides and other preservatives to do this, however we are all about promoting healthy and environmentally friendly produce. We avoid suppliers that add harmful additives and we support farmers that engage in methods that observe the interests of animals. 

Most of these businesses order online and cover a variety of areas within the state. Therefore, if you are in Melbourne and in need of a fruit delivery, all you need to do is log on to the internet and place your order with the company of your choice and it will be promptly delivered – fresh from Australian Farmers.

There’s Nothing Free About Gluten Free!

There’s no such thing as a gluten free lunch…unless of course you live in Italy, Finland, England or New Zealand it seems. During a chat with The Staple Store owner, Catherine Gett, I learnt for the first time that some countries actually subsidise gluten free sufferers for the higher cost of their food expenses. Although some might deem it an ‘in’ or healthy option, for others being gluten free or coeliac is not a choice but a reality. It’s no different to having diabetes or any other condition or illness. Unfortunately in Australia though the cost of being gluten intolerant or coeliac is not subsidised. And as you will see below, it really does add up. Here’s a little shopping list to give you an example of what buying gluten free versions of your regular products might cost.

	Regular	Gluten Free
Penne Pasta 500gm	$2.44	$3.53
Oats 500gm	$2.50	$5.75
Sweet Biscuits   200gm	$3.24	$4.99
Bread 600gm	$3.99	$5.68
Muesli Bars 6 Pack	$3.00	$5.20
TOTAL	$15.17	$25.25

On just a basic level, buying gluten free staples comes to about $10 extra a week. That’s $40 a month, and $480 a year…minimum. Seemingly as more people become affected by the high content of gluten in a lot of the foods we’re eating, perhaps one day we will be subsidised. In the meantime however some of us have to live with it, and one thing I want to say is that it doesn’t mean you have to resort to eating squeaky, rubbery bread that doesn’t toast properly or ‘fake’ tasting food. Here are two of our favourite gluten free friendly destinations for not only staples but the whole kitchen pantry kit and caboodle.

As mentioned earlier Catherine Gett from the Staple Store in Ripponlea (and also a naturopath) stocks plenty of gluten free whole food options and substitutes, like fantastic legume based meals in a jar ready to go, grains, nuts, sweets and more yummy treats.

We also highly recommend one of Melbourne’s gluten free mecca’s, Three Ducks Gluten Free Gourmet in Richmond. The best thing about Three Ducks is that “it’s all about good food that just happens to be gluten free”, as owner Ali Morrow always says. Find delicious pancakes mixes, flours, pastas, gourmet pies (One Girl Pulled Pork and Fennel is the best!), ice cream and so much more that you’ll have your next few weeks worth of meals planned already!

Comparing Apples with Apples

COMPARING ORGANIC APPLES WITH APPLES

This week, I wanted to share an article that recently caught my eye on the Australian news website, the age.com.au. It related a study by the Journal of Social Psychological & Personality Science, revealing that people exposed to organic food ”judged moral transgressions significantly harsher” than a control group. I’ll admit it, initially the article grabbed my attention because it featured photos of two of my favourite celebrities, Gwyneth Paltrow and Miranda Kerr who for their own reasons have chosen to harness their diets down to a strict organic food regime.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/you-are-what-you-eat-and-thats-food-for-judgmental-thought-20120531-1zksw.html

The article got me thinking about the things I now consider when buying food: are my fruit and vegetables locally grown, is my coffee fair trade, were the chickens that laid my eggs cage-free, is the packaging covering my food sustainable, and the list goes on. But is it fair to judge someone that doesn’t consider the latter? I was amused as the lead author of the study then went on to tell US television that “There’s something about being exposed to organic food that made them (celebrities) feel better about themselves. And that made them kind of jerks a little bit, I guess.” Eating ethically these days doesn’t come cheap, it’s almost an esteemed high end brand within itself like the coveted red heeled shoes, and bags branded on the outside that you can fit dogs in. But making a difference can not only be expensive, it’s a guilty business – I worry about the choices I make not because of calories or fat but causes or questions I forgot to consider. At the end of the day the decision we are making is bigger than just quality versus quantity, it’s about eating to make not only make yourself feel better but make the world better too. But has it gone too far? Should eating be a simpler affair – a concern with taste and energy consumption, or should we be asking more questions about the food choices we make? Feel free to leave your comments, and thoughts, I’d love to hear them.

Why Buying Local and Seasonal Matters!

Before converting to my regular Market Runner’s delivery, I shopped at my local supermarket out of convenience, which let’s face it is another word for laziness. Since I’ve reduced my visits to the big boys of shopping, I have noticed a lot of differences in my eating habits; not only do I eat more fruit and vegetables, they taste fresher and have a lot more flavour. My biggest surprise though has been the exposure to new produce and cooking methods – I’ve started roasting beetroot, poaching rhubarb, making pumpkin soup from scratch and I could go on and bore you with my new discoveries. Nonetheless despite being thrilled at my new found cooking skills, the consequence of eating locally and seasonally has far more importance than we can imagine.

A very dear friend of mine works at Sustainable Table, a not-for-profit organisation that empowers people to use their shopping dollar to vote for a fair, humane, healthy food system that is good for the environment. Recently whilst eating together as we often do, she asked me (politely) why I was still eating a particular fruit, and to my genuine surprise she informed me that it was out of season! This made me wonder how much of what we eat shouldn’t be eaten and why. The answers boil down to consumerism and can get quite political, so i’ve asked Riki to boil it down to convey its importance to ourselves and the earth and what we can do about it.

Buying local and seasonal

Changing the way you shop to buy local and seasonal produce will benefit your health and our environment. Your food will not have traveled as far to reach your plate so it will stay fresher for longer and you will be eating seasonally, which tastes better. Locally grown reduces the food miles in your diet, the further the food travels, the more greenhouse gases emitted.

In Australia, the two largest retailers, Coles and Woolworths, control 78-79% of the market! Supermarkets offer convenience and accessibility, but at a large cost. The system of having shelves continuously stocked and produce available year round, regardless of the season, is placing a huge strain on the environment. This centralised approach has also placed huge pressure on the farmers to provide cheap produce, which has seen many farmers turn to factory or intensive farming practices that have led to environmental degradation. Supermarkets only stock certain varieties of fruit and vegetables with a longer shelf life, so we are losing biodiversity and heirloom varieties.

Growing your own food reduces not only your food miles, but your food steps. It reduces your contribution to climate change, enables you to eat fresh, seasonal produce and reduces the money you spend on food and transport. If you have the space, get some chooks. They provide eggs and reduce waste by eating your food scraps.

With 60% of our personal footprint embodied in the food we eat, we can make a positive impact three times a day.

Remember, every dollar you spend is a vote for the type of food system you would like to be a part of.