Day 67 of 365 Days Of Low Carbon Living: going to the farmers market and buying fresh fruit and vegetables without plastic.

I shop for most of my fresh fruit and vegetables at the local farmers market. Sometimes I go to the retail markets.

For the odd quick purchase where I can’t wait for the markets  or it is just too far away, I pop down to my local independent supermarket.

And when I am travelling without ready access to a market, I try to shop at a greengrocer.

So much fresh food in plastic

These days, more and more food for sale is packaged in plastic. It doesn’t seem to matter where you go or what the size of the food-selling operation, there seems to be more and more food in plastic.

We have probably all seen things like bananas and tomatoes on a plastic or polystyrene tray wrapped in plastic. And the pre-packaged salad mixes. Remember too all the bags of apples and potatoes, and the nets of fruit.

Some outlets make it impossible to buy fresh fruit and vegetables from them without plastic. I had a big shock at a greengrocer in Melbourne last year: every lettuce was packaged in plastic!

Places for buying fresh fruit and vegetables without plastic

One of the things I love about markets and greengrocers is that I have much more opportunity for buying fresh fruit and vegetables without plastic.

Usually I can get everything I need without plastic.

That’s great!

• So much less plastic to pollute our world, damage our climate and harm our wildlife.
• Buying loose means I get to choose exactly what and how much I buy.

How to carry fresh fruit and vegetables without plastic packaging

I either use cloth shopping bags or a shopping buggy – and simply put the fruit and vegetables straight into them.

Shopping buggies are great for larger and heavier loads.

They are especially useful for buying fresh fruit and vegetables without plastic. That’s why you see so many being used at markets, where people are buying their produce loose.

I keep a cooler bag in the bottom of mine, to help keep my purchases cool on the way home.

First in go heavy items like this lovely Kent pumpkin. All root vegetables and fruit like oranges go well at the bottom.

Heavy items at the bottom help stabilise the buggy. Top-heavy buggies are likely to topple over.

Then it’s simply a matter of loading the rest of the produce in.

If I am buying celery, I find it’s best to put it in the buggy early. It’s much easier to put the long stems in first and fit the rest of the produce around them than it is to try to squeeze the celery in later.

If I am buying a tray of eggs, I also buy them early and put them between the cooler bag and the back of the buggy.

I keep some clean, pre-used plastic bags in my trolley for any delicate, wet greens. The bags keep the rest of the produce dry and protect the greens. You could also use a container for the same purpose.

The flap on top of the buggy keeps what’s inside dry and neat.

At the end of the shopping, it’s easy to simply wheel the buggy home or onto public transport. If travelling by car, the buggy can be lifted into the boot or through a back door to be wedged between front and back seats. Remember to:

• Take care of your back when lifting: brace your abdominals and bend your knees.
• Put the buggy gently onto the ground: a heavy weight pause a sudden landing causes the buggy’s plastic wheels to break.

The challenge

Next time you buy fresh fruit and vegetables, choose those without plastic packaging.

Why not use social media to share your experiences of food without packaging? Use hashtags such as #nudefood and #PlasticBagBan.

Join me!

Any change or challenge is easier if you have company along the way.

So let’s embark on this journey together.

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A problem shared is a problem halved. We’re all affected by the changes to our world so we need to be all in on the action!