Grocery Shopping? Go to the Farmer's Market First.

I love the farmer’s market experience.

Image via: The Atlantic

In fact, when my husband and I were on our honeymoon in Kauai, we went to the local farmer’s market. (We weren’t cooking on our honeymoon, but when I saw the ad, I had to check it out.)

I just love being outdoors, in the fresh air, picking through recently-delivered heaps and barrels of local produce, and feeling the raw potential of how those ingredients can be combined, seasoned, presented.  

I also love the fact that buying from the market cuts my grocery bill by about 30% every week.

Now, I know this isn’t something that holds everywhere. When I lived in New York City, the Union Square Farmer’s Market, for example, while inspiring, wasn’t cheap.

However, if you pick the right places to go, research now is showing that farmer’s markets are, in most cases, less expensive than surrounding grocery stores.

This article from The Atlantic outlines the major findings of the research: The Farmer’s Market Myth

The kitchn did a summary post: It’s true! Farmer’s Markets are Cheaper than Supermarkets!

 

To take advantage of this, I go to the produce market first, pick up everything I can get from there, and whatever I can’t get (tortillas, dried beans, bread, Daiya cheese), I pick up at my second stop – the grocery store. This cuts my grocery bill by about $30 a week. Plus, the produce is fresher.

 

Here are seven more tips on making the most of the farmer’s market, from Serious Eats: 

LEAVE A COMMENT AND LET US KNOW: Is your local farmer's market is cheaper than the supermarket? Do you use any of the tips offered by Serious Eats? How do you make the most of the farmer's market?