With the recent release of industry studies revealing Australia has overtaken the US as the world's most obese nation, Brisbane's fresh food experts are calling for people to embrace European-style market shopping.
Zone Fresh owner and director Sam Mangano said the well-known phrase and book "French Women Don't Get Fat" rings true because of the importance the French place on eating fresh food.
"The Europeans have a much healthier approach to shopping, with a focus on purchasing produce daily as opposed to bulk grocery shops," Mr Mangano said.
"It's important to eat fresh food whether fruit and vegetables, meat, or delicatessen goods as they can provide you with essential vitamins and minerals as well as being usually lower in fat, sugar, salt and preservatives which are all big factors in the obesity epidemic."
It's a timely message, given it's winter, when the urge to eat calorie-high comfort food is at its peak. (But not all comfort food is bad for you - check out the secrets to creating healthy, hearty and delicious casseroles, roasts, curries and hotpots.)
"At Zone Fresh, we make sure our fresh produce is hitting our shelves as soon as possible - in some instances, what you see in the store came from the farm just yesterday," Mr Mangano said.
Right now, avocodos and handpicked strawberries - straight from the growers in the Glass House Mountains - are at their best.
"Because our food is so fresh, the majority of our customers will drop into our store on the way home from work or after dropping the kids at school, to pick up what they need for dinner that night."
Mr Mangano said before large supermarket chains became popular, Australians' shopping habits were much more personalised.
"People actually had relationships with their butcher, baker and store assistants at their local fruit and veg shop and delicatessen," he said. "They knew they would always receive quality produce and advice, and it created a real sense of community."
Mr Mangano said the popularity of fresh produce and market shopping was definitely increasing with large retail centres jumping on board to try to compete.
"Shopping centres are definitely recognising the rising popularity of fresh market shopping and trying to compete with stores like Zone Fresh by offering special events like farmers markets," he said.
"We provide only the freshest most delicious produce with a team of friendly staff who are passionate about food and showing our customers how to make the most of fresh ingredients."
