Good Value Versus Cheap

Let’s face it: everyone loves a bargain. However, when it comes to doing our weekly grocery shopping, do we go for cheap over good value? Have we been conditioned to believe that cheap is in fact good value? Whether it’s due to culture, our upbringing or our personal and family values, we all have different views on what is good value for money.

 

So, does good value mean cheap? In most situations that require us to open our purse or wallet, we often measure if our desire to have that product and all it represents is in balance with the amount of money we are prepared to spend. If premium produce, lasts longer, tastes better and is served up to you with great customer service, is that not still in balance with a higher price?

 

Consider a tomato that was carefully selected from local market gardeners, which was full of flavour, so fresh it was bursting with nutrients and was going to last you well over a week at $6 a kilo. Compare that with a different tomato which was on special, significantly cheaper, perhaps not premium produce and was ready to eat today maybe tomorrow before it needed to go to waste. Would you really want to sacrifice this fantastic quality tomato for one which was lacking in benefits in order to save just a few dollars?

 

Most of us at some point would have bought something because it was the cheaper option, to later come to terms with the fact that it was cheaper for a reason. Ever had to replace the cheaper option? Throw away the cheaper option? Curse the cheaper option? So instead of saving money, you’ve in fact wasted money by purchasing the cheaper option! #YouGetWhatYouPayFor.

 

Support your local grocers, they may not always be the cheapest option but we don’t really want cheap fruit and veg, we want good value!

Casanovas Visit Peaches!

Our good friends, the Nova  Casanovas came down to our store last month to spread some cheer for the holidays and to give out some amazing freebies to our fantastic customers!

Remember to keep an eye out for the next time the Casanovas come down for a visit.

Click on the photos to view the album.

Thursday 4th December

 

Tuesday 9th December

 

Wednesday 17th December

A Traditional Christmas Meal!

Christmas just isn’t the same without the little traditional touches that make this season so special. For this year’s celebrations we have the perfect go-to traditional Chrissy recipe that will keep your family and friends begging for more!

You can never go wrong with a glazed ham dish, it’s everyone’s favourite during the festive time and plus, you can’t get any more traditional than glazed ham on Christmas day. So, why ham on this day? Apparently, serving ham arises from the pre-Christian Norse tradition of killing a boar and serving it to honour Freya, one of the Norse Gods. In AD times, St. Stephen, whose feast day is December 26th, is often depicted as serving a boar’s head as an offering. And, as often happens when diverse traditions converge around the feasting table: Christmas ham was born.

Now that you know why we have ham on the big day, try this delicious Maple Honey Mustard Glazed Ham recipe by taste.com.au. It only takes 15 minutes to prepare and it’s super easy!

Make sure to have this festive favourite on your table this year. At Peaches we have you covered with our Barossa Fine Foods Ham or if you want to stray from tradition, there’s a huge range of Barossa rolled roasts. Come in today to see the range!

We’re Open!

Here at Peaches we are focused on being committed to our customers over the busy holiday period and understand that you might need to pop into our store at the last minute, that’s why we are open 7 days a week, 7am to 8pm! The only days we are closed over the Christmas period are Christmas Day and New Years Day. Hope to see you soon!

‘Berry’ delicious fruits that are now in season

It’s very important to know what fruit and vegetables are in season when heading to the grocery store. By choosing to purchase fruit and veggies that are in season you are making less of an impact on our precious environment and providing yourself and your loved ones with the best possible produce available.

At Peaches Fresh all our fruit is locally grown and organic to ensure you have the freshest and tastiest fruit.

Lately we have been receiving daily deliveries of the best in season fruits and we decided it’s time to share some knowledge on what’s so good about our organic and local November fruit!

Mangoes: The Aussie mango season is upon us! Australia has the most delicious mango varieties in the world, with Kensington Pride being the most popular to grow in WA. Mangoes are one of the most versatile fruits, they are quick and easy to prepare and can be a healthy snack on their own or a perfect addition to a meal. Australian mangoes are high in energy, low in fat, and are a good source of vitamins and calcium vital for great health.

Strawberries: Western Australia is the leading exporter of delicious strawberries. One serving of 8 medium sized strawberries has more vitamin C than an orange! Strawberries are also a great source of folic acid and a moderate source of iron. If you thought that was amazing strawberries also contain anti-oxidants, which offset the effects of oxygen-free radicals. This is why Peaches loves to get in strawberries as often as we can.

Blueberries:  Blueberries provide great health benefits for you are your family.  They contain high levels of antioxidants and Vitamin A and C. They also have an extremely low glycaemic index. This simply means that this unique fruit is berry good for you! With their amazing health benefits and delicious, succulent flavour, it is no wonder that blueberries that Australia’s consumption of blueberries have grown dramatically over the past few years. Blueberries are best served fresh, blended in  smoothie or added to you favourite salads and desserts. To store this tasty snack, leave it in tight container in the fridge to avoid them for spoiling or getting squashed.

 Peaches: Grown in the south-west of Western Australia, this deliciously sweet stone fruit is a great source of Vitamin C , Vitamin A, dietary fibre, potassium,  and magnesium. Isn’t that just peachy! A fun fact about peaches is that their juices are fantastic for moisturising, nourishing and healing the skin! Peaches can be used in a wide variety of ways including fruit salads, fruit cocktails and desserts such as pies, tarts and jellies. With their succulent flavour and freshness, we are certainly proud to share our name with such a remarkable fruit!

Nectarines:  Closely related to peaches, nectarines are a juicy and plump fruit with a refreshing flavour. They are extremely healthy as they are low in calories, sodium and cholesterol and provide you with Vitamin C. To store this wonderful snack, keep them in a plastic bag in the coldest part of your fridge. They make the perfect ingredient for your muffins, savoury tarts and jams!

Plums: There are over two hundred different types of plums grow in Australia! Depending on the variation, most types are in season during the summer months. When selecting plums, it is best to choose ones which are smooth and firm with a consistent dark colour.  Plums make the perfect addition to any summer time meals by being an excellent ingredient in pies, tarts and salads! Not only are plums a great way to satisfy those stomach grumblings, they also provide great health benefits by protecting your heart, improving your bone health, helping regulation and improving your memory.

Custard Apples:  While the skin and seeds of custard apples are inedible, the flesh is a source of delicious sweet and creamy flavour. This divine fruit is great for making ice-cream and drinks, perfect for cooling down on those hot summer days! Unripe, dark green custard apples are best to be stored at room temperature.  While ripe custard apples which are pale green and will yield slightly to pressure, are best to be kept in the fridge.  Custard apples are also an excellent source of Vitamin C, calcium, potassium and magnesium.

Grapes: Seventy-two million tonnes of grapes are produced in the world each year! So it’s also a good thing that it’s also one of the world’s most popular fruits! This is because of their tasty, sweet and tart flavour and smooth texture. Grapes are also very kind to your health through various was such as protecting your heart, fighting against the effects of diabetes, protecting you from skin cancer and improving brain power.  Grapes can also be difficult to clean, thankfully there’s a very simple solution to this! Try covering them with a mixture of salt and baking soda and then rising them under cold water for a shiny, clean result! They simply look grape!

By taking advantage of this delicious and fresh seasonal produce available, you can ensure that your summer will be extremely fruitful and filled with great flavour.

PeachesBlueberriesLocal GrapesStrawberries

Fruit-tastic Christmas ideas

With Christmas just one month away, it’s time to sit down and think about gifts to give to your loved ones to show just how much you are care about them. Homemade gifts are the perfect way to do this! Nothing says caring quite like a gift that comes from the heart and made with your own two hands. We’ve come up with the top five homemade gifts ideas which are both simple and cost-effective but more importantly, they’re sweet enough to make anyone feel special on this joyous holiday.

 

1. Stuck in a jam? Well not anymore!

Nothing gets you into the Christmas spirit quite like making your own jam! Jam is simple to make and takes advantage of those lovely fresh seasonal fruits such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries for a great tasting and vibrant spread. Placing your homemade jam into a sweet jar decorated with a personalised name label and ribbons will add the perfect touch to your thoughtful gift.

We’ve found the perfect recipe for a simple raspberry jam to get you started here. Don’t forget to stop at Peaches for your raspberries! We’re one of the few stores in Perth, which supply beautiful fresh raspberries daily

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2. This gift makes scents! Who doesn’t love the smell of Christmas and the happy memories associated with these delicious scents? Keep these feelings lingering all year round by creating your own potpourri to give to your friends and family. This creative idea will bring joy to your friend’s homes and stand out from the clutter of other standard holiday gifts.

One of our favourites is definitely a delicious cranberry and cinnamon mix which will put anyone in a good mood.

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3. Get your dancing shoes on, it’s time to Salsa! To break away from the dessert trend of Christmas, try a vibrant and tasty salsa to win over everyone at dinner. By using the freshest ingredients available and a whole lot of heart, you can create a delicious salsa which professional restaurants can be jealous of!

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4. Scrub-a-dub-dub Christmas can sure be a stressful time of the year! Take the opportunity to pamper your loved ones and help them relax by creating your own sugar scrub. This Peppermint Candy Cane Sugar Scrub will be the perfect way to help your family and friends wind down after a long day and keep in touch with their Christmas spirit. It will also help keep skin looking smooth and moisturised.

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5. Smart cookie!Baking is one of the most simple and sweetest Christmas traditions around. Cookies will appeal to your friend’s sweet tooth and will ensure happiness throughout this holiday season. Even if you’re not an expert baker, we’ve found some simple recipes which will help your talents shine in the kitchen. These rich and tasty shortbread biscuits are a standard Christmas favourites which your loved ones will absolutely adore!

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With these five wonderful homemade Christmas ideas, you will show your loved ones just how much you appreciate them and create happy memories for years to come.

Christmas is on Peaches!

Let Peaches take care of Christmas for you. All you have to do is spend $50 or more in store to go in the draw to win 1 of 3 $500 Peaches vouchers!

Plus make sure you’re in store when the Nova Casanova’s are visiting for your chance to score lots of freebies!

Christmas is on Peaches!

Making Friends with Salads

Winter is well and truly over; so it’s time to turn over a new leaf (see what we did there?). With the Aussie sun quickly warming up our days it’s time for us to spend more time outside, enjoy lunchtime a bit more, and best of all, get together with friends and family for those great summer afternoon.

Summer lunches always seem to be dominated with a leafy salad. While we love our greens, there is so much more you can do with a salad. Lettuce forget those days, and make friends with salads (alright, we’ll stop) by wowing your friends and family with this great barley salad with carrot, date and raisin recipe!

 

BARLEY SALAD WITH CARROT, DATE AND RAISIN
Ingredients
300 grams of pearl barley
1 tea spoon of both coriander and cumin seeds. Dry-roasted, coarsely pounded in a mortar and pestle
3 carrots, coarsely grated
40 grams (¼ cup) pine nuts, toasted
40 grams (¼ cup) golden raisins, soaked in warm water for 5 minutes, drained
3 dates, pitted, cut into slivers
Juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange
½ teaspoon of sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 bunch coriander, coarsely chopped
¼ cup of flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

Method
Cook the barley boiling water with salt for 20-30 minutes or until tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl.

Set the barley aside to cool, and combine the spices with the ingredients in a bowl and toss to mix. Add barley to the mix, toss to mix and season to taste. Your barley salad is now ready to serve!

 

We love this recipe. It’s very citrusy, which is refreshing for summer, whilst the spices add a lot of flavour. Barley is high in protein and low in fat; and offers a really nice texture over leafier salads. We also recommend adding a little chilli for a bit of zing, and to serve chilled!

Gluten Myths Busted!

There is a common misconception that gluten intolerance and coeliac disease is the same thing. However, we are here to bust this myth!

 

Please explain…

 

Having a gluten intolerance (or a non-coeliac gluten sensitivity as it sometimes called) causes a stress response in the body and will result in discomfort from eating gluten- however it is not a disease.  Because it is not a disease, people who suffer from intolerance to gluten may not get officially diagnosed.

Coeliac disease on the other hand is an inherited autoimmune disorder that will stay with you throughout your life. This makes for a lengthy process to be diagnosed.

When a person with coeliac disease eats gluten, the gluten causes an abnormal immune response, which damages the lining of the small intestines walls. This can reduces the small intestines ability to absorb nutrients and can often result in malnutrition.  If a person with this disease continues to go undiagnosed, they may become very ill.

Both sufferers from gluten intolerance and coeliac disease will feel significantly better once they cut gluten out of their diet.

Read more here: http://www.coeliac.org.au/

 

The basics…

This may seem obvious to some, but many people don’t know where gluten comes from… gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye and any foods that contain those grains!

Some of the main foods that must be avoided if you suffer from coeliac disease or gluten intolerance include:

Bread, cakes, pasta, noodles, biscuits, crackers, cereals, beer and many more!

 

Top picks

There are many bad gluten free products out there but luckily for you, all our products are good!

Wait, they are better than good – in fact, you won’t even notice the difference!

Our top picks from our gluten free range:

Zehnder Bread, Kez’s Free Biscuits, Luke’s Organic & Organ crackers!

 

While we are talking gluten free, we need to introduce you to the amazing Martine from ‘Chomp Chomp’. Martine has made not let her intolerance get in the way of her pasion for food, and is a local Perth, gluten free blogger. She has some amazing photos to check out and heaps of places you can safely go out for dinner, so have a look here! 

 

To sum up

Surprising fact: many gluten free products often contain more sugar and fats to hide the “gluten free” taste, so you may need to bear this in mind if your counting calories!

Another fun fact: many people will feel better for reducing the amount of gluten in their diet, so if you are feeling like gluten might be causing you problems then try it out.

 

P.s

We loved this post from Buzzfeed about  people who are actually gluten free are tired are hearing…

I can’t live without bread

Can’t you just cheat?

Do you miss pasta? Do you miss pizza? Do you miss cake?

Our favourite… Are you just doing it because it’s trendy?

 

Soa “The Hulk” Palelei, Guest Blogger, returns!

Soa “The Hulk” Palelei, UFC Heavyweight Fighter and now infamous Peaches Fresh blogger has a few things to share about cravings and planning meals…

 

Nowadays many of us are cutting down of our expenses and it just seems like our food budget is often the first place that takes a hit. There are reports that 71% of us are cooking at home more instead of eating out.

While we may be eating more at home, the reality is that the foods most of us crave (i.e. potato chips or ice cream) don’t provide the nourishment we need to stay positive. Most are high in calories & low in nutrients. Nutrient for nutrient, these comfort foods just don’t deliver the most value for our hard-earned dollar.

The good news is that we can change this with some creative shopping and a little planning, we can make wholesome, highly nutritious food that also satisfies the soul.

Buy high quality staples like olive oil, grains, and rice you can transform these basic ingredients into all sorts of soul satisfying creations.

Lean meat can feed a family for days, mixing it up with lots of beans, peas, and lentils as well as a variety of whole grains. This will ensure a nutritious balance and a budget friendly price.

Making a list of what’s actually needed will save you money, an average household will waste 14% of food purchased. By planning your meals, shop for the fresh items you need for the week, extra portions can be frozen right after you make them so they avoid being leftovers in the back of the fridge.

I hope these tips will help you and if you’re stuck on fresh food and produce just check out Peaches Fresh Food Market, they have a selection for everyone!

– Soa “The Hulk”