There was a time when I visited the farmer’s market weekly. The kids, young at the time, joined me on our weekly adventure, and always chimed in on what they wanted me to buy – including flavored honey sticks. Back at home, they helped me unpack the groceries, and even helped me to make something with what we purchased.
As our daily schedules changed, and I needed the morning hours to work before I needed to start the afternoon school pickup and activities driving, I transitioned to a delivered CSA box for convenience. But when the mid-night delivery time caused an uproar with the neighbors, I canceled the service and went back to purchasing all items at the grocery store.
I got in the grocery shopping groove, but honestly, every week as I shopped at the local grocery store, I was reminded why I liked the farmers market – seasonal, great tasting food, from local farmers. But I just didn’t carve out the time — and reorganize my day – to make it happen.
A few weeks ago I finally went back to the farmers market. And all the good feels returned.
The aroma
The flavor
The textures
The variety
The freshness
I was once again hooked – and my family was, too.
Why had waited so long to return?
I kept telling myself that shopping at the farmers market was more expensive than the grocery.
I kept telling myself that it took too much time to travel to the market, then head to the grocery for other items.
But, after a couple of weeks of farmers market shopping, I found that my ‘reasons’ for not shopping at the farmers market were not exactly true.
What I realized was the effort was worth it.
My Old Way vs My New Way
My old way of shopping, once a week at the grocery store down the hill, where I purchase fruits and vegetables all at once during my weekly shopping excursion. Regardless of how hard I planned meals, and worked to get the produce out in front of the family, some of that produce was left uneaten.
With my farmers market purchases — I find that I buy less produce, but what we have gets eaten. The family is more excited to eat the produce — because it taste better, they love the smell, and they have the connection to what we buy (on occasion they have joined me at the market to help me shop).
We all know that what you get at the farmers market helps you eat in-season produce — what it also reminds us is that the fruits and veggies are fresh – we don’t really need to wait until they become ripe — they are ready to eat – and we are willing to enjoy all that freshness!
Because of this, we eat more produce, waste less, and as a result eat in season, and save money, with less waste!
Another benefit is that while I’m in the kitchen, I feel more at ease — food is fresher, I worry less about waste, and that makes up for the added time it takes to go to the market — and the sometimes higher cost.
The kids like it too — because I buy honey sticks every time — just like I did when they were young and joined me on the farmers market excursions.
I’m also inspired. When at the market, we ponder what we could make — should be get tomatoes and make sauce, cucumbers for pickling, or berries for a beautiful tart that evening.
I find that when I visit the farmers market, my mind is more creative. I’m inspired to cook something with what I purchased. When shopping at the grocery store, I view shopping as a task. I follow my list, and rarely get inspired to make something different when I stand in the produce aisle at the grocery. Instead, I stick to following my list, and get the ingredients for the meals I already planned.
Making the change (or rather returning to my old, old ways), required me to step outside my daily habit and try something new. I’m still in the transition period, trying to fit in a Sunday morning farmers market visit alongside other activities on the weekend, but I’m slowly embracing the change. I missed the market last week, but will definitely attend this coming Sunday.
Eventually, my new Sunday morning lifestyle will feature a not-to-be-missed trip to the farmers market.
