Tips for farmer’s market shopping

by Robyn Wright on June 20, 2012

in Food

Bee Well For LifeSo while I am still struggling with my eating, I really do try and make better decisions and I am really taking the time to read, watch, learn tips for doing that. Here is a video from Bumble Bee Foods with the super nice Chef Scott (I met him last year at a Bumble Bee event) and Mardy Fish. Scott is taking Mardy to a farmer’s market and shares some tips that all of us can use.

One thing I learned is that the produce stand I shopped at a lot is that much of their produce is the same imported stuff that the grocery store has. That was a big bummer to find out. They do have some local stuff, but I wish all of it was local. We do have a farmer’s market on Saturday mornings in our city and I’m going to check it out soon! I love Scott’s tip about walking through the market all the way before you do any shopping.  Make sure to visit Chef Scott’s full article for all of his farmer’s market shopping tips.

Do you shop at a local farmer’s market? What is your favorite thing to buy there?

I'm a Bumble Bee Foods Bee Squad Member

Disclosure: I am a member of the Bumble Bee Foods Bee Squad and as such receive certain privileges from the company. Opinions are always my own.
In this post I also mentioned Nakano of which I am also a brand ambassador.

© 2012, Robyn Wright. All rights reserved.

Tagged as: #BeeSquad, Bumble Bee, food, food tips, fruit, health, shopping, vegetables

  • tannawings

    I don’t do a lot of shopping at the farmer’s market because I garden myself but I do go to them for a few things I either don’t grow myself or want more of! Generally I will buy watermelons there and we also have a strawberry and a asparagus farm near. Our farmer’s market is pretty local- I would imagine the bigger cities would get no local stuff :/

  • Ravzie

    Now I am totally disillusioned….thought I was doing something good.  Well, my nearest farmers market seems to have things like the fancy soaps and baked goods mostly anyway.

  • http://twitter.com/toothfairycyber Tooth Fairy

    We are all trying to support our local farmers by shopping at markets and cheers to you for trying something new and exploring it too!  Thanks for sharing info and tips!

  • http://twitter.com/NICKIEISIS3 nickie burke

    Wow I didn’t know that all farmers market stuff isn’t local. That does suck. I will be sure to post this.

  • http://asahmlookingforadeal.blogspot.com/ coriwestphal

    I agree that you need to watch where the produce is coming from.  Just because it’s on a stand in your home town, doesn’t mean it was grown there.  I like to buy as many of my fruits and veggies as I can at farmers markets.  I also like to watch for homemade jams and jellies, honey, and sometimes even sweets too!  Homemade rocks!

    coriwestphal at msn dot com

  • http://www.everylittlethingblog.com Stacy @ Every Little Thing

    That’s why it’s so important to ask questions when shopping at farmer’s markets. The Soulard Market in particular is almost all from produce row, shipped into town, NOT from local farmers! If the person behind the produce stand isn’t a farmer themselves, ask where their food comes from! Schlafly Market on Wednesdays is one of my favorites – Tower Grove has a great one as well, and I love my Goshen market in Edwardsville! :)

  • Eileen

    I love to get fresh cut flowers and tomatoes, cucumbers, and pumpkins from our farmers’s market!

    ejrichter60 at gmail dot com

  • http://pregnantkatiesmom.blogspot.com/ Susan C

    Our farmers market will only allow local and in season produce. I love to buy herbs and flowers.
    smchester at gmail dot com

  • Volunteercjt

    Cutting out sugar is the best way to diet.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002333317824 Dawn Schmidt

    I do not currently shop at a Farmers market, I do think about doing so but somehow I am always too busy to make the special trip
    mummytotwoboys@yahoo.com

  • http://twitter.com/Veuvefamily Rachel V

    We do have a farmers market near us twice a week.  But, I’m so lucky that we have “Fruit Stands” galore!  Just the other day, I spent almost $30 on fruit & veggies.  It was all gone within three days.  My kids love fruit! They went through cherries, nectarines, peaches, apricots, cucumbers, tomatos and (an onion used for dinner).  They are all locally grown, too.  Bonus!

  • http://twitter.com/Ardy22 ardy22

    I hate to admit it but I have never been to one before.  I was always under the assumption that they were pricey and with gas so high…not sure the drive was worth it.  May check our local one out this coming weekend

  • @rkosully

    I agree with you that all the produce should be locally grown. Our market also has a lot of stalls with crafts and other prepared goods. I would rather just go there for fresh, local produce–my favorite things to buy are lettuce, peaches, and corn!

  • Rosey

    I like to shop at local Farmer’s Markets if we’re traveling. I think you can get a real good feel of the food (and the people) when you head on down to the market.  Our most recent foreign Farmer’s Market was downtown Omaha…that was NICE!  Thanks for the video.

  • honeypie411

    I had no idea some of the produce is the same stuff you’d get a the grocery store.  I’d like to find a real farmers market with locally grown produce, I love to cook whatever veggies are in season, and the fresher the better!

  • ddx155

    You should walk through before buying, the prices can vary and some vendors are willing to haggle. The more you buy the more likely they will give on the price a little.

  • feathermaye

    We don’t have a local farmers market, but we do have a big garden that several of us in the area tend and pick from. I have a hard time coming to terms with how much *better* our garden-fresh tomatoes are compared to those we were buying in the grocery store.

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