Growers and student chefs to make over diet

This vibrant container will house a series of cooking demonstrations at Whangarei Growers' Market this summer. Photo / Supplied

A stream of exotic international dishes will be on the menu at Whangarei Grower's Market this summer, thanks to a new initiative getting live cooking demonstrations underway.

Organiser Jeff Griggs said growers, student chefs at NorthTec and local businesses had collaborated on the plan, which will begin tomorrow.

"The idea is really about getting more fresh vegetables and fruit into the diet of Northlanders. The market is obviously the place where you are going to get the freshest locally-grown produce. So this is a logical extension of promoting that," Mr Griggs said.

Demonstrations would show how ingredients available at the markets could be combined into healthy meals. All food used in the demonstrations would be donated by market growers, who would then carry red flags on their stalls to show people where recipe items could be bought.

"Because NorthTec is involved it will allow us to do international dishes using local product," Mr Griggs said.

The project would run for 12 weeks, between 8.30 and 9am from the colourful shipping container at Whangarei Growers Market, Water St carpark.