If you are a fan of healthy eating, you will find a lot of healthy food in Poland, especially amazing fruit! And what’s better than apples (jabłka)? In the end an apple a day keeps the doctor away!

You need to know that Poland is an important temperate climate fruit producer on a global scale. Poland is the largest grower of apples, sour cherries, raspberries, currants and high bush blueberries in the EU. Poland is also a significant producer of strawberries, gooseberries and chokeberries.

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The history of traditional orchards in Poland dates back to the 11th century. At that time Benedictine monks arrived in Poland, bringing in initial varieties of fruit trees. The Benedictine monastery in Tyniec (near Kraków – south Poland) became a centre of agriculture. Its abbot, described as “the abbot of a hundred villages”, owned a lot of land, on which priests had planted apple- and pear trees, which from there spread across Mazovia and Prussia (Central and North Poland).

Soon gardens with fruit trees were established in other monasteries, castles, manors and peasants’ farms. This marks the appearance of standard trees in home- or traditional orchards in rural Polish landscapes. Their development was particularly improved during 18th, 19th and partially 20th century. At that time Polish rural landscapes were characterise by flowering fruit trees. Fruit processing became an important part of culinary habits.

I grew up on a big fruit farm in Poland. It was amazing – what’s better than eating fresh fruit from the tree for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Of course not everything was fun for us, kids. There was a lot of work and less fun, but still I consider myself lucky!

Blooming orchards at my family’s farm

My husband picking apples at my parent’s place!

Image by Kasia

Most of the cities have amazing farmer’s markets, where you can find ton of different fresh fruit! Lot’s to choose from, between a lot of different types of apples, pears, cherries, strawberries! Yum! Prices are posted, but you can usually negotiate a little bit!

Thanks to the daily farmers’ markets which have sprung up all over the cities in Poland, residents and tourists have access to a reliable sources of healthy food on the go — the best alternative to breakfast or lunch at a restaurant or a supermarket grocery shopping.

Image courtesy Pixabay.com