Regional Victoria’s ~whole~ new vibe
Ever wondered how to boost your immune system, prevent disease, and slow down the process of ageing? A wholefood diet is a big part of the answer.
The key takeaways
- Wholefoods are chock full of nutrients essential for a healthy diet
- A plethora of wholefood shops have popped up in regional areas over the last few years
- Many of these wholefood stores are also embracing a bulk-buy approach to shopping
Keep up with the latest food news via our website.
Wholefoods are single ingredient, ‘what you see is what you get kind’ of foods. Unlike processed foods, which are often filled with chemicals and preservatives, wholefoods are chock full of nutrients essential for a healthy diet. Think: a humble carrot dipped in hummus, or a delightful quinoa salad doused with olive oil. A consistent, clean and old-fashioned approach to eating is what a wholefood diet is all about – no fads or restrictive, temporary plans here. We’re talking diverse, inventive and most importantly, delicious meals!
So what should we be looking to buy?
Things like unprocessed fruit and vegetables; nuts and seeds; wholegrains (brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, oats, rye, whole-wheat, millet and cornmeal); beans and legumes (lentils, chickpeas, black beans and butter beans); and animal products that are still in their natural states (milk, eggs, poultry, red meat and seafood). Sadly, that round up does not include veggie chips, which seems to trick everyone with its act of wholesome goodness. No – those are processed, put them back.
These days in our busy, modern lives, striving for a complete wholefood diet may be somewhat unobtainable. Instead, nutritionists suggest 60 to 75 percent of our diet should be comprised of wholefoods to see positive impact on our overall health and wellbeing. That means shopping more in the fresh produce section of your local markets and steering clear of as much packaged, preservative-dense foods as you can resist.
Fortunately for us, a plethora of wholefood shops have popped up in regional areas over the last few years. Hosting an array of organic and locally grown produce, shops like Valerie’s Pantry in Belmont are a wholefood convert’s haven. Expect to find there all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre your body needs, as well some healthy goodies like organic chocolate. I mean, it’s all about balance, right?
The good news doesn’t stop there though. Many of these wholefood stores are also embracing a bulk-buy approach to shopping. “Bulk buying” may conjure frightening images of mountainous piles of toilet paper from Costco, but this is more low-key vibe. Remember the old days when you could choose exactly how much rice you wanted from the barrel? That’s what certain bulk buying stores are bringing back – only with way more diversity.
Bulk buying cuts out the middle man – fancy packaging and single-use plastics – and gives you just what you need; food! It’s a great way to reduce waste and get properly hands-on with your shopping. Stores like The Source Bulk Foods require BYO bags and jars to fill up with just the ingredients you’re after. You weigh your contents to the gram for the exact the amount you need, which can drastically alter the amount of food going to landfill. It’s a win for the bin and the wallet in the long run.
If overhauling your way of eating overnight feels like it may induce a panic attack, just remember to aim for progress, not perfection. One step at a time you can change your eating and shopping habits, learning more as you go.
If you’re interested in giving the wholefood/bulk food life a go, here’s a list of some regional stores that are still currently operating throughout lockdown to get you started.
Surf Coast
GoVita
24 Gilbert St
Torquay
Peaches Torquay
132 Surfcoast Hwy
Torquay
Surfcoast Wholefoods
41 Bristol Road
Torquay
Lorne Wholefoods Eco Store
HAH Longbeach
81 Mountjoy Parade
Lorne
Sandy Feet Café and Health Foods
139 Great Ocean Road
Apollo Bay
Geelong
Valerie’s Pantry
138 High Street
Belmont
The Source Bulk Foods
210 Pakington St
Geelong West
Organic Larder
167 Malop Street
Geelong
Eastside Wholefoods
138 High Street
Belmont
Geelong Fresh Foods
171 Pakington Street,
Geelong West
Ballarat
Ballarat Wholefoods Collective
Barkley Square
Ballarat East
GoVita
23 Sturt St
Ballarat Central
The Source Bulk Foods
Shop 3/1-3 Eastwood St
Ballarat Central
Bendigo
Bendigo Wholefoods
314 Lyttleton Terrace
Bendigo
Organics Bendigo
320 Lyttleton Terrace
Bendigo
Castlemaine
Castlemaine Fresh
73 Mostyn Street
Castlemaine
Green Goes the Grocer
29A Templeton Street
Castlemaine
The Food Garden (food box delivery)
14A Mostyn Street
Castlemaine
Daylesford
Hepburn Wholefoods Collective
Daylesford Lawn Tennis Club
66a West Street
Daylesford
Daylesford Healthfood & Organics
27 Albert Street
Daylesford
Warrnambool
GoVita
155 Fairy Street
Warrnambool
The Natural Path
Shop 4, 249 Timor Street
Warrnambool
Otherwise, jump online. Here are some wholefood stockists that deliver all across Victoria:
Wholesome Hub
Passion Foods
Santos Wholefoods
The Wholefood Collective
Turn your inbox up to 11. Sign up to Forte’s newsletter and you’ll be served fresh music, arts, food, booze and culture stories twice a week.
