BY: JESSICA BEUKER

A handful of New World grocery stores in New Zealand are now offering peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, cucumber, onions and an endless list of other veggies pre-cut in clear, plastic containers. The traditional pick ‘n’ mix formula, similar to that of Bulk Barn, aims to make healthy eating incredibly accessible – even for the laziest of consumers.

This is particularly good news for those who would rather grab fast food after work, than spend half an hour chopping and dicing to make a healthy meal. It’s also good news for those who, like myself, live alone and will never eat an entire cucumber or use up a whole onion before it goes bad.

According to Huffington Post, the bins are increasing in popularity despite being more expensive. The vegetables sell for roughly $8.75 per kilogram, which is actually cheaper than those pre-cut wrapped options that are available for certain veggies such as mushrooms.

The vegetables are replaced every three days, and there is no word on what happens to the old ones. Obviously, the fresher vegetables are and the closer to mealtime that they are prepared – the better they will taste. However, if this new method will push people, who normally can’t be bothered to prepare a meal to eat more healthily, then it’s a step forward.

Currently, only about one in every 10 Americans eats enough fruits and vegetables, according to a government report. And generally the overall vegetable intake is much lower than the overall fruit intake. Eating the proper amount of fruits and veggies per day is important because they help to lower a person’s risk of illnesses such as obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Sue Pollard, the chief executive of the NZ Nutrition Foundation, told Stuff that the bins are a positive step in the right direction. “The main thing about [the pick ‘n’ mix option] is it is a convenient way of getting [vegetables] into people who might not otherwise eat them.”

Image sourcing: stuff.co.nz