Fruits and vegetables are a cornerstone of a healthy diet, and when it comes to healthy foods, nothing beats fresh produce.
While you can certainly cook delicious meals solely with what you find in the produce section at the grocery store, much of the food you find there isn’t “fresh.” It may not be frozen or canned, so you’re still getting plenty of health benefits, but it’s not fresh off the farm.
There’s something to be said for the taste and satisfaction of freshly picked produce. You can find it at local farmers markets or co-ops, garden stands or at farms themselves.
Here are just a few of the biggest benefits of fresh produce for you to consider:
- Fresher: As we previously mentioned, the produce you find in your grocery store had to be shipped in from other parts of the region or country before it could be set up in the produce aisle. That means it’s at least several days old. The produce at farmers markets might have been picked that very day, or within the last 24 to 48 hours. You can’t beat that for freshness.
- Local support: Growers at local markets and other such venues are small businesses and farmers without a massive distribution and business footprint. By doing your produce shopping at farmers markets and other local outlets, you are able to keep your money closer to home and support local growers.
- Better prices: While you might see some fluctuation in prices based on the season, in general you can expect the prices at a farmers market to be significantly better than those you find at grocery stores. There is a common misconception that farmers market prices are higher than grocery store prices, but frequently the opposite is true. And even in the circumstances in which the prices might be a bit higher, it’s still worth it to support local and get more freshness.
- Better quality: Fresher produce means better taste, so you’re getting a better-quality fruit or vegetable when you get it from a farmers market. In addition, freshly picked produce holds onto more of its vitamins and nutrients. You can also trust that farmers selling their produce at farmers markets will have used sustainable, organic methods to grow their fruits and vegetables that benefit the environment and maximize their nutritional value and flavor.
- Better variety: In many cases you’re able to find a wider variety of items at farmers markets than you could in the grocery store aisle, at least with regard to items that are grown regionally.
- Fun experience: The experience of shopping at a farmers market is always enjoyable. You can take the whole family, interact with the growers and members of your community and even get the kids involved, letting them pick out something that looks appealing to them.
For more information about the benefits of getting your produce fresh from a farmers market, contact us today at Horner’s Midtown Market. We look forward to being the next stop on your shopping list!