Grocery shopping is a task that all of us have to go through on a regular basis. While many people chose to go to supermarket chains to get their food, there are much better alternatives out there.
Local farmers markets have recently been gaining considerable popularity all around the world. Want to know why? Here are the top 8 reasons why you should also be supporting farmers markets:
1. Know where your food comes from
One of the major benefits of shopping at farmers markets is that you know exactly where your food comes from. While shopping for fruits or vegetables, you might be asking yourself: Are these apples really organic? Where exactly were they grown? Going to the farmers market enables you to talk to the person who (most likely) grew the products that you are buying themselves which is a perfect opportunity to learn more about the food that you are buying.
Most importantly, you know what you are putting into your body.
2. Supporting farmers = Support local economy
Shopping at the farmers market is not only good for you. While buying groceries at supermarket chains can be convenient since you can often find them on almost every corner of the street, the impact of taking those extra steps and shopping at farmers markets is way more substantial.
Farmers that sell their goods at farmers markets are often small, family-run businesses that can have a hard time competing with global supermarket chains. By buying directly from these farmers and the local farmers’ markets, you can help their businesses to stay alive and support their families while also contributing to the local economy.
3. Taste the season
The selection at the farmers’ markets is generally guided by the current season. While you might feel limited, buying seasonal products has many benefits. Firstly, fruits and vegetables taste the best when harvested during “their” season. By eating fruits and veggies of the season, you are getting the most out of their taste. Secondly, research shows that eating a seasonal harvest is better for your body (nutrition-wise). The best part? Buying seasonal fruits and vegetables means that you are eating the freshest possible products that are out there.
4. Try before you buy
While trying out the food before you buy it is generally frowned upon (safe to say even illegal in the majority of countries around the world) it is quite a common practice at farmers markets. Farmers almost always let you try the products you want before buying them which eliminates the risk of spending money on flavourless fruits and vegetables that you are not going to enjoy anyway.
5. Save money
Another great reason for shopping at local farmers markets is that it saves you money. When it comes to farmers markets, there is no need for a middleman. Since the majority of products sold there come from a close distance, the expensive transportation costs are pretty much eliminated. Especially when it comes to organic fruit and vegetables, it has been found that buying such products at farmers markets comes considerably cheaper than purchasing the same at supermarket chains.
6. Taste the difference
The fruits and vegetables you buy at farmers markets are the closest you can get to taste their real flavour (besides growing your own but who has time for that nowadays right). Imported products often sit on storage shelves for days or even weeks after the harvest which heavily impacts their taste. This is not the case with local products. They are harvested on time, when fully ripe, and brought to you fresh, directly from the farm.
7. Be environmentally friendly
Buying locally at farmers markets is not only good for the farmers, your body and your wallet, but also for the environment. While the overall carbon footprint of food products comes together as a result of different stages of the supply chain, transportation (especially by air) accounts for one of the biggest sources of emissions for fruits and vegetables. What this means in practice is that buying apples or pears in October at your local farmers market is way better for the environment than going for the supermarket mangos imported from India.
8. Chore, but make it fun
Last but not least, shopping at local farmers markets can turn a boring household chore into a fun activity. When talking about grocery shopping, not many people think of it as a fun free time activity. The truth is, many people avoid it until the last possible moment. After all, who willingly spends time pushing around so many people while searching for groceries in an endless array of supermarket aisles?
Whether you go alone or with your family, going to the farmers market can actually be an enjoyable experience. Many of the farmers’ markets are located outside so you can combine what initially sounds like a boring task with getting some fresh air on a nice walk outside. Moreover, strolling around a farmers market enables you to discover many ingredients that you would have otherwise never considered buying.
All in all, supporting farmers markets has many benefits. It is not only great for you and your health, but also for the local economy, environment and the families of the farmers. Next time you plan on going grocery shopping, keep these 8 reasons in mind!
