Alternatives for iceberg lettuce: Affordable fruit and veggies in Cairns

Cairns families are avoiding the worst excesses of the cost of living crisis. Here’s your guide to healthy and affordable ingredients.

SAVVY Far North shoppers are beating the worst excesses of the cost of living crisis by keeping it fresh and local.

With some supermarkets charging up to $12 for a single head of iceberg lettuce, Far North families are finding value at Rusty’s Markets in Cairns.

Fresh produce experts said there are still huge savings to be made when shopping for fruit and vegetables if you know where to look.

Cost of livng

Owner of Clohesy River Mushrooms and produce Serena Hooper said buying items that are in season at your local markets, rather than the supermarkets, is key to slashing costs.

“There are alternatives to just buying what’s on your supermarket shelves” she said.

“I’d look at finding out what’s local, look around and see what’s in season, and you can generally find a better price on things, you don’t have to go via traditional lettuces or your traditional greens.

“A lot of the times due to the floods and things, the prices of greens do go up, but locally we have got some good greens growing at the moment to choose from.”

Cairns local Bri Ferguson buying discount fruit and vegetables at Rusty’s Markets. Picture Emily Barker

Local shopper Bronwyn Low said she switched to going to Rusty’s Markets for her fresh produce shopping due to shortages at her local supermarket.

“I went into the supermarket the other day, and to be honest at the Coles near me, the shelves are pretty bare, you haven’t been able to get salad at all, so that’s why I thought at least I can come here and get what I want” she said.

“I think the prices have gone up here too [Rusty’s], but they’re still way better than the supermarkets”.

In terms of what is currently in season locally, Rusty’s Markets’ Ann Chang gave a rundown on what the cheapest fruit and veggies are.

“Avocadoes, bananas always very cheap, silverbeet, all the herbs are on special, all the Asian greens, ginger are all grown local so please do come and buy them,” she said.

Service with a smile; Ann Chang with an abundance of fresh green affordable lettuce alternatives at her family stall at Rusty’s. Picture Emily Barker

“Dragonfruit is in season now, and orange and mandarins are grown local, and pineapple has always been locally grown.”

For those looking for the crunch of iceberg lettuce without the steep price tag, there are a number of other lettuce varieties selling for a fraction of the price.

“Instead of iceberg lettuce, you can get cos lettuce, they’re local grown so they’re pretty cheap as well,” Ms Chang said.

Local farmer Benjamin Fielder said there are also other lesser known vegetables that can be used as cheap and healthy lettuce alternatives

“You can also use all your different varieties of spinaches, there’s kales, there’s all sorts of different things, there’s a lot of South Pacific Islander varieties of greens you can utilise within your salads” he said.

“It’s all about doing your research and finding out what you can work with.”

BEST BUYS:

Some of the fruit and vegetables available this weekend at Rusty’s Markets.

Vegetables:

Avocadoes

Silverbeet

Asian Greens

Cos Lettuce

Fruit:

Bananas

Dragonfruit

Oranges

Mandarins

Pineapples

FNQ FRESH FOOD BOSS WARNING

A FAR North fresh food king has warned consumers that a combination of factors will pile pressure on cost of living struggles.

Farmer and retailer Warren Jonsson, of Jonsson’s Farm Market, explained that the increased prices of fruit and veg is caused the weather and increased costs for farmers.

“The high prices are attributed mostly to the wet weather conditions, there’s been a lot of rain in the Lockyer Valley where the likes of lettuce and a lot of your veg come from this time of year,” he said.

Fruit and vegetable shortages leaves supermarket shelves bare. Picture: Georgia Clelland.

“So it’s not only been too wet to harvest and a lot of the crops have been spoiled but because of the wet weather, they haven’t been able to get on the ground and plant other crops to replace the ones that have been damaged.

“But in general, you’ve also got to take into consideration that fuel and fertiliser prices have nearly doubled and they’re one of the main inputs into growing projects.”

But it’s not just those at the checkout feeling the pinch, restaurants, cafes and even fast food chains have been affected by soaring prices.

Jonsson's Farm Market owner Warren Jonsson. Picture: Brendan Radke

Cairns Burger Café owner Yuanjie Zhang says much of Cairns’ restaurant scene is struggling with the increase in costs.

“The gas price has gone up nearly 60 per cent, the oil we use is 60 to 70 per cent up, the lettuce we use, I think nearly doubled in price, the meats 20 to 60 per cent depending on supply issue, I think pretty much everything is increased a lot,” he said.

“In April, we had to raise our prices a little bit because we can’t cope with everything.

“The reality is small businesses, restaurants, cafes in Cairns are very much struggling.”

Despite the Far North being an important growing region, Mr Jonsson said prices aren’t expected to decrease for some time

“So unfortunately, those high prices are going to continue for a couple of months, because the next season to come on stream is around the Bowen area, who have also been delayed in their plantings because of the wet weather,” he said.

Originally published as Alternatives for iceberg lettuce: Affordable fruit and veggies in Cairns