Food Swaps In and Around Brisbane

Community food projects  and food swaps are a fast growing initiative in Brisbane and around Australia. Growing awareness of the environmental impact of large-scale food production and distribution, concerns over the freshness and safety of mass-produced crops, as well as the desire to live in a more sustainable and green way, have all led to this emerging trend, with local food swaps springing up all around the city. If you aren’t lucky enough to have room to grow a garden then check out our local community gardens in Brisbane resource page.

These food swaps are awesome community events where local people can meet each other, join together and share amazing food.

What is a food swap?

A food swap is a local event where members of a community meet to exchange home-grown or homemade produce and goods. Items for swapping usually include home-grown fruit, vegetables and herbs, seedlings and plants, fresh eggs, homemade jams and chutneys, and home-baked goodies. Other items that are often accepted and desired at swaps include bags of manure and containers such as egg boxes and jam jars.

Most food swaps work by people bringing their own excess produce and swapping it for items left by others. Most food swaps operate on an honour system of people taking items of similar value to those they have donated, meaning that no cash exchanges hands. This means you may arrive with a basket of lemons from your garden tree and leave with a selection of fresh vegetables, herbs and bread, all without spending any money!

Food swaps are an awesome way of uniting the community by bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together for one common purpose. They help people to forge relationships and to exchange knowledge. Food swaps also help to reduce waste by allowing people to share anything they don’t need. Moreover, they allow people to enjoy beautiful, seasonal produce made locally, and to share that with others.

The Brookfield Food Swap

The Brookfield Food Swap is a monthly community swap and share event. The event is about connecting the community and building relationships by sharing and exchanging food as well as stories, tips and more. It’s about being part of a social gathering that leaves everyone feeling rewarded. Items for swapping include pretty much anything home grown or homemade, as well as garden items and food containers. Full details can be found here.

The Brookfield Food Swap takes place on the second Saturday of each month at the intersection of Adavale Street and Savages Road in Brookfield from 9am to 10am. For more information, visit brookfieldswap.org or The Brookfield Food Swap’s Facebook page here.

Harvest Swap — Sunshine Coast

Harvest Swap — Sunshine Coast is a monthly gathering for swapping excess home-grown produce, including vegetables, herbs, fruit, eggs, seedlings and seeds, as well as worm juice, preserves and home-baked goods.

The swap takes place one Sunday each month, from 10am to 11am. Monthly dates are announced on the Harvest Swap — Sunshine Coast Facebook page here. The swaps are held at Diddillibah Reserve* (Beside Diddillibah Community Hall), 622 Diddillibah Road, Diddillibah.

Do you know of any other food swaps in and around Brisbane? If so, let us know if the comments below as we’d love to include them!