Berry season is here

Spring is in the air and berries are bursting onto the farmers’ market stalls.

Sweet, juicy and packed with goodness, berries are one of those treats that rarely make it all the way home without a few disappearing from the punnet.

Right now, we’re spoilt for choice.

Blueberry Fields has beautiful fresh blueberries, while Monty’s has strawberries ready for spring snacking. Tallogum Berries is also bringing blueberries to market, and if you’re looking for certified organic, Summit Organics has delicious certified organic strawberries.

And these little fruits pack quite a nutritional punch. Berries are a great source of fibre and vitamins, as well as naturally occurring plant compounds called polyphenols. Blueberries are particularly rich in anthocyanins – the pigments that give them their deep blue colour – while strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C.

Best of all, there’s really no need to do much with them.

Scatter them over your morning muesli, add them to yoghurt, blitz them into a smoothie or pop them into the kids’ lunchboxes. Fresh blueberries piled onto ricotta and fruit toast are absolutely delicious – simple, fresh and a pretty perfect spring breakfast. And if you feel like baking, blueberry muffins are always a hit, especially when they’re bursting with fresh local berries.

Or, of course, just eat them straight from the punnet.

With blueberries and strawberries in abundance at the markets this October, now is a very good time to stock up. Although judging by how quickly they disappear on the drive home, you might want to grab two punnets!

Find Tallogum Berries, Blueberry Fields, Monty’s, and Summit Organics every Friday at Mullum Farmers Market from 7am to 11am.

You’ll also find Monty’s, Blueberry Fields, and Summit Organics every Tuesday at New Brighton Farmers Market from 7am to 11am.