Eating Sustainably

Have you ever thought about how much time, effort, transport, and waste is involved in, say, growing asparagus in Mexico and flying it to Australia, putting in a truck to a wholesaler, another truck to a retailer then a car to your home? Or about the chemicals used to grow and transport fresh products? Did you know, for example, that by law imported garlic has to be treated with methyl bromide and cut flowers have to be dipped in glyphosate? And don’t even get me started on the packaging…

A few years ago, I started looking for local, organic, and package-free food. You’re probably on that journey too so you know how hard it is! I found myself standing in front of organic imported oats and non-organic Australian oats, not knowing what to do.

Here’s how I try to tackle it now, in case this is helpful to you:

I shorten my food chain as much as I can. I grow some of my own food*, buy a lot through Green Connect, and almost everything else through Flame Tree Co-op in Thirroul.
I buy as much organic food as I can afford. Organic certification takes a long time and is expensive, so I also look out for “chemical-free” which means that a producer follows organic principles but isn’t certified.
I avoid packaging if I can. Where I can’t avoid it, I look for compostable or recyclable options.

There was such a sigh of relief in my household when we found Green Connect, long before I started working here. It ticked all the Good Food boxes – local, chemical-free (there’s that word again) and unpackaged.

I’ve since found out how much thought, time and energy has gone in to creating this good thing that is the Green Connect veg box, and there still is. It’s Good Food. Really, really, good.

Enjoy!

Kylie Flament
Green Connect General Manager

*Green Connect offers hands-on workshops to help you build your skills and confidence in growing your own food. Check out our spring workshop series here: https://green-connect.com.au/visit/

In your box this week:

Note: We sometimes need to make changes to what we pack in your veg box based on the quantity or quality of produce that we can harvest and source. If you have any questions about what is in your box, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

Did you know?

Leeks are part of the allium family and are related to onions, shallots, chives, and garlic. They have a sweet, mild, onion flavour and are much more versatile than most people think! You can use them in the same way as onions or shallots in most recipes and are great in soups, stews, pastas, risottos, and more. They can also be grilled or roasted on their own to create a delicious side dish. Leeks last up to 2 weeks in the veggie crisper in the fridge and should be cut and washed well before cooking.