Why You Should Shop At A Farmers Market
Farmer's markets are an incredible place to find the freshest produce. I love visiting my local farmers market. There is always so much to do and see, plus it’s great way to get some fresh air and exercise in!
In addition to providing you with healthy options direct from the source, your local farmer's market has so many other wonderful things to offer your family. But don’t just take my word for it, I’ve complied 10 awesome reasons to visit your local farmers market this season.
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10 Amazing Reasons to Visit Your Local Farmers Market
While we all know that the local produce market is a great place to find fresh fruits and vegetables, most local markets go beyond offering the season’s harvest.
Hint: Don't forget to bring your own bag to shop local! We love our mesh shopping bag – it's perfect for our Wednesday and Saturday market shopping.
Farmer’s Markets Have The Freshest Produce
The fruits and vegetables found at the farmers market are the freshest produce you can buy. Since there is no middle-man between the farm and the store, you can be sure all the produce you purchase at your local farmer’s market are as real (and fresh) as it can get.
Know Where Your Food is Coming From
At your local market, you’ll have a chance to meet each of the farmers who grow the food you’re purchasing, ensuring you know exactly where the food you are buying comes from. This is very different from a grocery store where your produce often comes from out of state or even out of country.
Trust Your Food is Safe
Nowadays it can be tough to trust that your food is safe. With so many recalls and problems with processed food and even fresh food that is commercially produced there are scary things lurking in just about everything we eat and drink. That's not the case when you shop locally and know where your food and produce are coming from!
It's not just knowing where your food is coming from, but as my grandmother used to tell us, “fresh is best.” There is a lot of truth in those three words. Today we eat a lot of processed food with a lot of man-made preservatives. Fresh food is just that – fresh with no preservatives!
Your body relies on the food you eat, and there is more taste, less waste, and less around our waists when we indulge in fresh food and veggies. There is nothing better in my book than fresh from the farm food and veggies!
Celebrate the Season at the Farmer’s Market
All the produce available at your local market is seasonal, making it the perfect way to celebrate the flavors if the season. You can enjoy fresh asparagus each spring, crunchy corn in the summer, and delicious fresh pumpkins each fall, all from your local farmer’s market.
Consuming produce that is in season ensures that you get all the vitamins and minerals that it has to offer. Fruits and vegetables that are out of season are often picked early and go through cooling, heating or preserving in some way. This process results in less flavor and health benefits when it finally reaches the consumer.
Have you ever tasted the difference between in season strawberries and out of season strawberries? The in season strawberries are so flavorful, juicy and delicious! This is one of the main reason I love to visit farmer’s market, the flavors are so much richer!
All that fresh local produce looks so tantalizing at the market, but sometimes it's difficult to know how to prepare some of the seasonal fruits and vegetables. My favorite go-to is The Farmers Market Cookbook: the Ultimate Guide to Enjoying Fresh, Local, Seasonal Produce.
Farmers Markets are Good for the Environment
In addition to ensuring you get fresh produce, purchasing your food from your local farmer’s market is better for the environment. That’s because your farmer’s market purchase eliminates the use of resources from shipping produce to your local stores and reduces the trash from packaging found when you purchase produce from the grocery store.
Save Money By Shopping at a Local Farmer’s Market
Purchasing organic produce at your local grocery store can get expensive. But you can buy sustainably grown produce from the farmer’s market for a fraction of the price.
It’s worth checking out your local farmer’s market and making note of the prices of your most commonly purchased produce. Then, compare it to the prices at your local grocery store. Often times you’ll find that the prices are cheaper than or equal to those at the store. If they are equal in price, consider that buying from your farmers market supports small businesses, is sustainable, environmentally friendly, and arguably more fun!
Farmer's Markets Support Local Business
Each stand at your local farmer’s market represents a local business in need of your support. These local farmers are competing with large corporations for your dollars. And purchasing directly from the farmer helps them earn a bigger profit on their crops.
I don't know about you, but I love knowing where my food is coming from, and supporting local small businesses. After all, it is the small businesses that help fuel our economy.
Farmer's Markets Produce Less Food Waste
If you frequently shop at grocery stores, you’ve probably noticed that most of the produce looks shiny and perfect. Misfits or oddly shaped fruits and veggies often don’t make the cut to sit on the shelves. Unfortunately, this outcomes produces a lot of food waste. They don't want to send vegetables or fruits to big chain stores if they have too much inconsistency.
There is nothing wrong with these “weird” items other than the way they look, it ends up meaning a lot of food waste and you can avoid all of that by shopping locally and shopping “ugly.” Not expecting natural products to look perfect every time we pick one up is important!
Find More than Just Produce at Farmer's Markets
In addition to selling produce, many local markets also allow local bakers, butchers, and artisans to sell their goods. That means you can enjoy a variety of options at your local market, from freshly butchered local meats to delicious homemade baked goods.
One of my favorite parts of the farmer’s market is perusing all the stands and seeing the beautiful and creative things on display. It is also a great place to buy unique and unconventional gifts for people.
Community Connection via the Farmer's Market
A visit to your local farmer’s market also helps you create a connection with your community. You can spend time enjoying the company of your neighbors and supporting local businesses at the same time.
We love visiting our local Wednesday Green Market and Saturday Market in Fort Pierce! As the #1 Farmers Market in Florida, we love the choices the market offers. We can choose fresh veggies, seafood, beef, and more that are all locally sourced.
After creating a killer meal with all of your farmer's market finds, don't forget to uncork a delicious bottle of wine!
Farmer’s Markets Are A Great Weekend Activity
It can be hard to find things to do during the COVID-19 pandemic. Visiting a farmer's market is the perfect weekend outing and a solution to boredom during quarantine. It is also healthy, fun, a chance to grab some great food and crafts, and connect with others outdoors. Supporting local businesses is especially important during this time, so grab your partner and get out in the fresh air. Check out your local farmer’s market this weekend!
What do you love about your local farmers market? What do you usual pick up there? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
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