During the current health crisis, eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables has never been more important. Thankfully, research by the European Food Safety Authority has shown that eating fresh fruit and vegetables is a safe food choice as the COVID-19 virus is not foodborne or food-transmitted. This means that the fresh produce you purchase at your local greengrocer will help to enhance your immunity and general wellbeing and won’t increase your risk of contracting COVID-19.
However, it’s imperative that you take extra precautions when shopping at your local retailers to keep you and your family as safe as possible.
Some of our top tips for doing this are below:
Wash your hands!
One of the most important ways to protect the health of yourself and those around you is to frequently wash your hands. After visiting your local A Better Choice retailer to stock up on fresh produce, make sure you wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with soap and running water. This is particularly important if you use a trolley or basket while shopping, or if you use tongs or other shared utensils to select your fresh produce.
Limit touching
A huge part of the shopping process is touching various fruit and vegetables to ensure we select the best produce available. However, touching produce may increase the probability of a pathogen being transferred onto the produce item or acquired from the produce item. Are you unsure how to select the best produce? Familiarise yourself with our guide on picking the best produce here!
Wash your fruit and vegetables
Just like washing your hands, it’s vital to wash your fruit and vegetables before consuming them to remove any nasties. Our tip? Wash all fruit and vegetables under a running tap of cold or lukewarm water and avoid washing them with soap.
Purchase pre-packaged fruits and vegetables if you are at-risk
For those of you in an at-risk category, it may be best for you to consider purchasing pre-packaged fruits and vegetables as an added measure of caution. Additionally, it is recommended that you cook your fruits and vegetables during this period, rather than consuming them raw.
Need some inspiration on delicious meals you can cook with your fresh produce? Head over to our recipe page!