THE SWAG BLOG — Veggies & Herbs

The fruit and veggies of Charlie’s Community garden are always incredibly abundant, vibrant and flavorful, and Judith says the secret comes down to the quality of the soil.. This month, we share some of Judith’s top tips to achieve   healthy soil - no matter if you have a garden, a balcony or a few window sill pots.

During the Aussie summer, storing fruit and veggies isn’t always easy, as they can deteriorate very quickly in the heat and humidity. The solution is to use The Swag fruit & vegetable bags, which are ideal for keeping your produce healthy and fresher for longer in the crisper of the fridge or pantry. Let’s take a look at some of these options. Using The Swag fruit & vegetable bags in the fridge Made from  multi-layers of 100% biodegradable, unseeded and unbleached cotton, The Swag bags are perfect for keeping your produce fresh for two weeks or more. Simply dampen down...

Did you know there is enough food produced globally to feed everyone? Over one third of all food produced is lost or wasted (1.3 billion tonnes) costing the global economy close to $940 billion each year. These 1.3 billion tonnes are enough to feed 870 million hungry people. Approximately 60% of the food wasted is fruit and vegetables however one in nine people around the world do not have enough food to eat, that’s 793 million people who are undernourished. Food waste causes 8% of the greenhouse gases heating the planet. In Australia: Over 5 million tonnes of food end...

It’s estimated as few as 4% of Australians have enough fruit and vegetables in their diet. If you do eat enough fruit and veggies you probably know you’re hitting your recommended daily intake and likewise if you don’t get enough fruit and vegetables, you’re probably equally aware and feel somewhat guilty about it. Why not make your resolution for 2019 to eat more of these wonderfully nourishing foods? While it can be easier said than done, we’ve compiled the below tips to help you consume your 5-a-day every day next year: Add Vegetables to Your Favourite Dishes Without Changing the...

There’s plenty of dietary choices depending on your individual health goals, so many in fact the sheer number of options can be overwhelming at times. Popular diets include vegan, vegetarian, ketogenic, paleo, pescatarian, flexitarian, raw, Mediterranean and on and on. However, one you may not have heard of is the Pegan diet! The term Pegan was coined by an American doctor, Dr Mark Hyman back in 2015 and refers to combining the best of both ‘paleo’ and ‘vegan’ diets. The Pegan diet is largely plant-based with large amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and legumes with...

It’s one thing many of us are guilty of. While we’re educated from a young age that fresh vegetables are one of the most important parts of our diet and should make up a significant portion of it, many of us simply don’t consume as many vegetables as we should. To try and encourage those of you reading this blog of the importance of eating veggies, we’ve outlined some of the health benefits of getting our 5 a day: 1. You get enough vitamins and minerals Fresh vegetables and fruit for that matter contain many vital vitamins and minerals necessary...

It’s no secret that, here at The Swag, we’re big advocates of a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables. However, a question many people ask is about the merits of organic fruit and vegetables in comparison to standard produce. In this article we’ll explore a little more about exactly what makes produce organic and the benefits of it: What makes fruit and vegetables organic? Fruit and vegetables which are labelled organic are considered this way because of how they’re grown. To be classified as organic, no chemical fertilisers are used nor are synthetic pesticides or herbicides. Instead natural fertilisers...

In recent years, there has been massive talk around the Paleo Diet here in Australia. Celebrity chefs including Pete Evans have been huge advocates of this way of living due to the long list of health benefits associated with it. The Paleo or ‘Caveman’ diet involves eating food which our ancestors may have eaten up to 200,000 years ago. It eliminates all processed foods and strips our food intake back to a diet of fresh fruit and vegetables, organic grass-fed meat and fish and seafood. Given the nutrient-dense nature of the diet, there are many health improvements which accompany it....

There are many benefits associated with starting your own vegetable patch here in Australia. It can save you money, help the environment and it also comes with the massive benefit of knowing exactly where your fresh produce is coming from and exactly what it has been treated with. It’s also not as daunting a task as many think - it just takes time, patience and a little trial and error. Below are 5 tips from us here at The Swag HQ to start your very own vegetable-garden right here in Australia: Consider Soil & Location Carefully The location of your...

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you’ll have been hearing more and more about the benefits of the vegan lifestyle. Many people around the world have adopted the vegan diet including many famous faces both here in Australia and around the world. Most choose to go vegan to show their opposition to how farm animals are treated, and the effects mass farming is having on our planet. Below are some A-list evangelists of the vegan lifestyle: Liam Hemsworth & Miley Cyrus Our own home-grown Aussie Liam Hemsworth is one half of an extremely famous...

If you have ever opened your refrigerator or cupboard door to take out some fruit or vegetables to prepare only to find that they’ve started to decay, then you’re not alone. Australians waste tonnes of fruit and veg each year by letting it expire before consuming it. What many people don’t know is that there are natural ways to prolong the lifespan of your fruit and vegetables in storage. Below we have outlined some of our favourite tips for keeping your fruit and veg fresher for longer: Shop Local Where possible, it’s great to shop for fresh produce locally for...

You don’t have to be on a cleanse to activate your body’s natural cleansing power. In fact, all you have to do is eat the rainbow! Mother Earth has given us a bounty of body-cleaning foods that come in red, green, purple, white, yellow and beyond! These foods contain a host of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that purify the liver and empower your body’s natural digestive processes, creating a stronger, more efficient you! As many doctors now know, 80% of your immune system lives in your gut. Here are some naturally toxic-fighting foods that will keep that gut (and...