No cauliflower please were from westmeath

Westmeath shoppers like bananas, berries and spuds - but we’re not too fond of cauliflower, chilies or kale!
That’s what Tesco has determined by analysing the weekly data collected in all of its stores over the past 12 months to reveal Ireland’s fruit and vegetable eating habits.
The top 5-a-day in Westmeath, as well as bananas, berries and potatoes also include tomatoes and oranges.
It’s not just in Westmeath that bananas are tops: they also top the fruit and vegetable charts in Carlow, Cavan, Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow. “Bananas are a good source of tryptophan, carbohydrate and vitamin B6 – all of which help boost levels of mood-enhancing serotonin. They’re also rich in potassium which is good for nerve and muscle function,” said a Tesco spokesperson.
Similar to the national rankings, berries come in at second place in Westmeath compared to first place in Clare, Donegal, Galway, Kildare and Mayo. Fresh berries are sourced from Keeling’s in North County Dublin where the family owned business has a team of 600 working directly on product supplied to Tesco stores including fresh fruit, vegetables and horticultural products.
Tesco potatoes are grown by the Hoey family in Dublin; Tesco tomatoes are grown by the Foley brothers in Dublin, and Tesco’s oranges are imported by Keelings.
Tesco is predicting that cauliflower may rise in the rankings, being tipped as a food trend for 2015, praised for its health benefits and low-carbohydrate credentials meaning this once unfashionable vegetable is being turned into cauliflower mash, cauliflower couscous, used as a gluten free pizza base and even grated to resemble rice.
Commenting about the results, Nutritionist Elsa Jones said “It’s encouraging to see that Irish people are buying a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. Getting your 5-a-day is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It’s also important to eat a variety of different coloured fruit and vegetables as each colour provides a unique set of nutrients. For optimal health, aim to eat the five colours of the rainbow every day - red, orange, yellow, green and purple.”