Summertime is all about vacations, fun, different schedules, sleeping in, abundant vegetables and fruits and Farmer’s Markets! One of my favorite weekend activities is roaming through our local Farmer’s Market. Here are my 10 tips to support you in getting the most from your market visit…

Consider buying the whole vegetable.
Oftentimes root vegetables such as carrots, beets, and radishes are sold whole which means the greens are attached as opposed to the trimmed offerings. The whole version will last longer than the trimmed version. It’s like getting two for one! The greens are edible and delicious. For example, greens make great pesto, and beet greens can be prepared the same way as chard and kale. Make sure to pick vegetables that have fresh and vibrant looking greens and wash them carefully.

Think season and locality.
Check out this seasonal food guide from sustainabletable.org for more information on what to buy local and in season: http://www.sustainabletable.org/seasonalfoodguide/

Talk to the farmer.
They are more than happy to help you know your produce from source, to taste to texture to what’s coming next week! They can help you pick the tastiest heirloom tomato, locate the tightest, smallest Brussels sprouts, smell for the ripest melon and snap a green bean between your fingers to see if it’s fresh and ready!

Take a lap first.
The first thing I always do when visiting our market is say “Hi” to everyone I meet and know as I’m taking a lap around the market to see what’s available, try samples, check pricing, and ripeness of offerings.

Step outside your comfort zone.
Many times Farmer’s Markets offer products that you can’t find at your local grocery store. For example, instead of the standard purple eggplant try a long pure white eggplant.

Bring your own bag, basket, and maybe a cooler.
A cooler is great if your market sells eggs, cheese, milk, meat, or fish. Farmers typically provide plastic bags but this eats into their profit margins. Using your own bags, baskets, etc. is a gesture of goodwill towards the farmers, and helps save the landfill. A win-win for sure!

Shop early or shop late.
Shop early for the best selection and if you have your heart set on something in particular like the season’s first berries, or favorite eggs, etc. Shop late (during last hour of the market) for some great deals knowing the selection may be limited. Many Farmers will offer discounts at the end of the market to avoid driving a load back to the farm.

Bring small bills.
Most farmers’ markets are cash-only and use cash boxes. Using small bills helps a lot!

Buy in bulk.
There are great deals to be found in buying in quantity. For example, buy tomatoes, onions, and basil in bulk and make a big batch of marinara sauce to freeze. It’s versatile, inexpensive, nutrient-dense, easy and best of all homemade!

Plan out your meals ahead of time and keep it simple.
Ultra-fresh produce has its own natural flavor when you cook it so keep preparations simple to let these flavors shine through. You can do some planning and shop accordingly. For example, if asparagus is in season and you can’t get enough of it, check out your asparagus recipes. For farmers market recipe ideas visit my website: https://www.kerrymcclure.com/source-information/