Tomatoes ripe for the picking!

It’s official - the juicy season is finally upon us, and supermarket shelves nationwide are brimming with new season New Zealand tomatoes.

The tomato is New Zealand’s favourite vegetable and continues to be one of the most staple and versatile Kiwi meal-time ingredients available.

Pukekohe tomato grower and Horticulture New Zealand Young Grower of the Year winner, Ben Smith, is urging consumers to take advantage of this special time of year.

“It’s a fantastic sight to see the bountiful supply of tomatoes on offer to consumers right now. It’s a sure sign summer is just around the corner and so Kiwis will be switching to seasonal meals and recipes – and tomatoes are a mainstay of any summer diet.”

In recent years the range of tomatoes available to New Zealand consumers has grown considerably with cherry, low acid, strawberry, roma and vine-ripened tomatoes becoming increasingly popular.

Wim Zwart, Chairman of TomatoesNZ, says the plentiful supplies now available are the result of months of hard work and dedicated crop management by growers.

“It’s great to see Kiwis enjoying the fruits of our growers labour, there is no comparison to New Zealand produce. I urge consumers when shopping to choose 100% New Zealand tomatoes, which are very reasonably priced at this time of year.”

Tomatoes are packed with vitamins, fibre, folic acid and potassium. Recent research has shown the antioxidants found in tomatoes may be responsible for protecting people against cancer.

To choose the best tomatoes, look for the deep red varieties because the redder the tomato the sweeter the fruit. Tomatoes should be allowed to ripen naturally and stored in a cool dark place, but not in refrigerators.

For more tips and healthy tomato recipes please visit www.vegetables.co.nz