Early morning fruit and veg

One of the shopping high points in Wellington is to go to a fruit and veg market at the weekend, preferably early in the morning. (especially a sunny morning, as in the pic) The markets are open all morning but there is a sense of virtue in getting there early. On Saturday there is a huge one in Lower Hutt. Or on Sunday there are two in Wellington City Centre (lower Hutt split over 2 sites). We prefer the one on the seafront, next to Te Papa, the national museum (which you can see in the background of the pic). The markets are run by a group of families from the Levin area, all of Chinese origin. And the market certainly has a Chinese flavour, with Chinese vegetables and herbs on many stalls. But for most people the markets are a great source of cheap fruit and veg, most of it NZ seasonal produce. And with their mild climate they certainly produce fruit and veg. Prices are great compared to the supermarket and the quality better than UK markets – although with some produce you need to select carefully. And if you are on the look out for a bargain you can find one. Particularly in the Hutt – some stalls seem to run a “loss leader” e.g. a kilo of plums for a dollar!