Don't Make These Mistakes at Your Farmers Market
By Donna Stark
Go ahead. Load up your plate with fresh corn, string beans, strawberries, and melon. Pile on the cucumbers, tomatoes, and spinach. After all, summer is here and fresh fruit and vegetables are in season! So head on over to your local farmers market and fill your shopping basket up. It's the perfect opportunity to get all the nutrition your body needs and the tastiest way to great health!
Shopping at the Farmer's Market
The farmers market is one of the easiest places to shop for fresh, local produce, but sometimes, it's not as easy to come home with everything that you imagined or wanted. Why? Well, you might be making one of these common mistakes. Take a look.
- Not going early enough - When it comes to snagging the freshest peaches on the table or the biggest crate of cherries, showing up fashionably late could leave you completely empty-handed. All of the serious cooks and produce-lovers get to the market early because they know the best stuff gets picked first, so remember to set your alarms!
- Not asking questions - Not sure how to serve arugula? Want to know if those tomatoes were picked at their peak? Don't be afraid to ask questions. Talking to the stand holders is the best way to learn about where your food comes from or how to cook and serve it. It's also a great way to get information on foods you aren't familiar with.
- Not trying new things - Speaking of food you aren't familiar with, why not try something new? The farmers market is the perfect place to step out of your box and experiment with new foods. Sure, you may have your favorites, but isn't variety the spice of life? Take the chance on something different. Who knows? It might become one of your new favorites!
- Not bringing cash - At some markets, no cash might mean no produce, so make sure you are prepared to get exactly what you want by bringing cash along with you.
- Not giving yourself enough time - Weekends can be busy with all of your obligations and commitments, but if you really want to experience everything a farmers market has to offer, make sure you give yourself enough time. Of course, the amount of time that is needed will be dependent on the size of the market, so do your research before you head out!
Coming Home With the Goods
Farmers markets are known for their stands of overflowing produce, specialty foods, meat, and cheese, but many also offer plenty of options for breakfast and lunch which makes it easy to really make a morning out of. So go ahead grab your family or friends and head outdoors for a fabulous time!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Loganville, Ga.