Last Saturday, taking advantage of the beautiful weather, I took a stroll down to the Phoenixville Farmers’ Marketto pick up some local fresh produce. Growing up in Lancaster County, I was used to always having the freshest produce, furnished by super-local roadside stands. I appreciated being able to support local farmers—because of this, I love the farmers market.
I also love a good bargain. While farmers markets offer local, organic, vegan and other specialized products, critics sometimes claim they are more expensive. In my experience though, these markets just require you to compare prices and gain a sense of how much you should spend on each item. My usual farmers market routine is to peruse the rows of tables, taking note of variety and prices, before making any purchases. That way, I know I’m able to find the best price and make an educated purchase.
My most recent trip to the market was especially festive, as many vendors displayed fall themed wares…think cider, and lots of apples, and pumpkin everything. I checked out the prices, and found some good deals on the produce I needed for the week!
First, I picked up a few peppers. The hot peppers were $0.25 each, and other larger peppers were $0.50 each. I picked up 3 that I could use to spice up my sandwiches. Next, I bought farm-fresh golden delicious apples for $1.25 per pound. I also spotted a basket of assorted squash for $1 each, so I grabbed an acorn squash. Overall, I spent less than $4 on my farmers market produce!
Some other noteworthy goods featured at the market were pork chops for $5.20 per pound and tenderloin for $7.29 per pound, giant sweet potatoes for $0.50 to $2 and pasture raised eggs for $4.95 per dozen.
Although I’m young and on a budget, I still like to eat well. This often involves cooking for myself and doing a little bargain hunting. Shopping at the local farmers markets allow me to eat well priced, healthy and fresh food that supports the local economy! I’m also able to get more creative with my food choices—I probably would not have chosen to pick up an acorn squash if I was in the grocery store.
To serve some of my produce, I think I’ll roast the acorn squash and serve, sliced in half, stuffed with quinoa, some brown sugar, a bit of chopped apple, and nuts. This will be a low cost-per-serving meal, yet still be satisfying and nutritious.
So if you can’t remember the last time you visited your local farmers market, throw on some sneakers and get out there. You can visit your local farmers’ market website for a list of produce and vendors, or just head to the market to check out the great deals to be had!
