There Is, In Fact, A Strategy To Shopping At The Farmer’s Market
Our relationships with farmers markets have evolved from Instagram-worthy strolls, to an appreciation for the apple cider donut stand, to now the safe haven where we drop our compost and shop for produce freely without the capitalistic burdens of plastic-wrapped zucchini. Transitioning into a grocery routine that derives exclusively from the farmer’s market, however, can be very challenging. We now cherish our local market’s role as a bridge between our need for sustenance and our desire to consciously nourish ourselves. But it isn’t always realistic to assume we can get everything we need from them. The farmers market may not always be your one-stop shop, but the goal is that it serves as a place where you can escape the difficult choices a typical grocery store may present. I remember it so clearly... My partner and I are doing our weekly grocery shop at the nearest Fairway. As we continue collecting the ingredients for this week’s recipes, I see the mental conflict spill over him as he stares at some packaged spinach.
Do we buy spinach packaged in plastic from the local hydroponic farms or opt for the plastic-free spinach that has traveled thousands of miles to get to us? I like to call this “produce paralysis.” The choice is crippling. And this, my friends, is where farmers markets become your very best friend.
The key to transitioning your grocery routine towards the farmers market is to start with the produce that causes you the most mental mayhem at your regular store.
Here are three items I buy at the farmers market to avoid both overbuying produce because I got farmer’s market happy (which only leads to food waste) and the plastic wrapped madness that is America’s grocery chain food system.
Get That Bread
The bakery section of the grocery store smells like heaven (aka: processed sugar) but is typically wrapped in plastic. To avoid the plastic, most farmers market bread makers will provide paper bags, or you can invest in a bread bag.
Know What Is In-Season
Taking a quick glance at your ingredients list can help you identify if any fruits or veggies are in-season and can likely be found at the farmers market. Also, being aware and buying what the farmers are currently growing is how we keep this whole local thing movin’ and groovin’.
Jam Out & Make it Saucy
If you have an upcoming soiree being hosted by that cool chick who makes her own naan, or it’s cold out and you just bought a huge loaf of rustic cranberry walnut bread, don’t settle for overly processed olive oil or store-bought jelly. Get you some of those local berry preserves to enjoy in front of the fire you casted from youtube onto your TV. Enjoy retelling the story behind the garlic-infused olive oil that the cute bearded boy from the vineyard stand sold you on. The farmer’s market may not always have all the condiments available to us at any given time, but they sure do have great ways to spruce up the spreads we typically buy anyway.
Here’s to avoiding produce paralysis and getting our farmer’s market on in 2020.
Photography by Diandra Marizet