Australians love good food and rarely miss a chance to enjoy it, diligently showing up for every meal! Meat is probably at the top of the menu, with beef, pork, mutton, and even kangaroo being popular choices, but there is some health consciousness to be had as well, so there are always a few vegetables in the mix!
These days most Australians do their shopping at their local market where the nation’s dependable vegetables Suppliers bring them farm fresh produce every day to enjoy. Let’s take a look at what veggies are on the menu Down Under and how people like them prepared!
Potato – The humble potato is the crown prince of produce, an essential staple of Australian cuisine. They are enjoyed in a multitude of ways, as chips to go with fish, mashed potatoes to match any meat dish, and delicious baked potatoes smothered in butter. If you visit an Australian home for dinner, you are bound to find some potato on your plate!
Sweet Potatoes – The potato’s colourful cousin, sweet potatoes contain a great deal more natural sugars, but that’s all right because of all the other healthy vitamins and minerals packed into them. They are quite popular because of their great taste as well as good nutritional value and are commonly added to soups and roasted meat dishes, as well as served as a dessert!
Carrots – Staying with the underground theme a bit longer, these crunchy orange delights are often enjoyed raw right out of the soil, although its best to wash them first! A highly versatile ingredient, carrots add colour and flavour to a wide variety of dishes, savoury soups and stews, and can be mashed with butter and a dash of salt and pepper! Carrots are great, and they are chock-a-block full of vitamins and minerals, too!
Green Beans – Let’s climb the bean pole now for a big basket of tasty green beans, one of Australia’s most popular vegetables because they taste great and are so good for you! They are often enjoyed raw, and can be sliced into salads, sautéed in stir fries, and added to casseroles for some crunch and that mouthwatering deep green colour.
Broccoli – Sometimes offered to kids with the adage “Time to eat your trees!”, some kids love them, but some resist until they are older and realize that broccoli actually tastes really great! To say they are healthy for you would be an understatement, they contain high levels of Vitamin C and plenty of good for you dietary fibre. Eat them raw dipped in salad dressing, steamed and buttered, or add them to your Asian stir-fries, they always look wonderful and taste good, too!
Tomatoes – Rivalling the potato for most popular vegetable, Australians consume massive amounts of tomatoes every year, and truly relish their tangy taste! Tomatoes can go in just about anything, salads, soups, sandwiches, and especially sauces! Italian dishes like spaghetti and pizza are among Australia’s most popular, and tomatoes help make them so very tasty! They also happen to be good for you, win-win!The Australian Government’s Eat For Health site has suggestions for vegetables and more. Come Down under for some fresh veggies, they’re great!
