As winter sets in, the fruit aisle offers the best bargains this month across Australia, with citrus and apples leading the way, according to Matt Palise, owner of wholesaler Red Rich Fruits.
Citrus Highlights
July shines with royal honey murcott mandarins priced between $3 to $4 per kilo. Other varieties like Empress, afourer, and imperial are also available, with sumo mandarins soon to arrive. Oranges, including Seville for marmalade enthusiasts ($5.99/kg), navel oranges ($2.50/kg on special), and pink flesh cara cara oranges ($1.99/kg) are in prime season. Blood oranges are expected shortly.
Apples Galore
Apples such as pink ladies and royal galas are priced between $3.50 to $4.50/kg. Look out for the cosmic crisp, a new variety from NSW and the Yarra Valley, known for its sweetness, tartness, and non-browning quality.
Seasonal Tips
Dean Lamb from Watts Fresh highlights mini-sized missile apples, a popular choice despite their higher price of about $11.99/kg. Berries remain pricey around $5 per punnet, with Victorian strawberries holding steady as Queensland’s season starts slow.
Vegetable Delights
For vegetables, Palise advises focusing on green choices like celery, brussels sprouts (~$3.99 to $4.99/punnet), and beans, alongside brassicas. Cauliflower is economical at around $3 per head, expected to stay low through August. Kalettes, a blend of kale and brussels sprouts, are another tasty option at similar prices.
Winter Staples
Potatoes are a reliable winter staple at $4 for a 2kg bag, while sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and carrots offer excellent value. Silverbeet and English spinach are currently plentiful, though broccoli prices may fluctuate due to recent cold snaps.
Recipe Ideas
Try Nigel Slater’s vibrant winter salad combining apples and citrus with brussels sprouts, or explore dishes like Tom Hunt’s Portuguese punched potatoes for a hearty side. For a comforting soup, Alice Zaslavsky’s roast pumpkin, sweet potato, and carrot soup provides a delightful winter warmer.
Shopping Guide
Here’s what to buy, watch, and avoid this July:
Buy: Apples, beans, brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, celery, kalettes, mandarins, oranges (Seville, cara cara, navels), potatoes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, tangelos.
Watch: Asparagus (Victorian season starting), lettuce (price fluctuations), spinach, silverbeet, strawberries.
Avoid: Blueberries, grapes, raspberries.
Embrace the winter season with these economical and nutritious choices from Australia’s fresh produce aisles this July.