One of our favorite places in the summer is the local farmer’s market. I love knowing that the produce is fresh from the farm and that we’re supporting local farms, but I also love getting a deal so here are my top tips for getting the best buy at the farmer’s market.
How to Save Money at the Farmers Market.
1.Go with a budget.
I leave my debit card in the locked car, and take only as much cash as I plan to spend. The gorgeous colors of the fresh strawberries, lettuce, carrots and tomatoes can easily tempt us into spending more than we planned.
2. This is the opposite of what I usually say- but ditch your list.
If you go to the market looking for a specific item you might be disappointed or you might miss out on another great buy. Go into the market with an open mind and a general idea of what you’d like. A simple list such as “Vegetables for two dinners and three fruits” might be the way you find the best deals and you might find a new variety or produce item to try.
3. Be realistic about what you will use.
We once purchased far more strawberries than we could ever eat before they went bad. We ended up having to freeze more than half of them, which we used in other ways but would have preferred fresh.
4. Know what is on sale in the stores.
I love buying fresh and local, but if the local grocery store has strawberries for $1.49 a package it’s not in my frugal ways to pay $4 at the farmer’s market. Grocery stores change weekly and often only one or two produce items across the many chains around will be at a super price. Knowing what those produce items are is very important before heading to the local farmer’s market.
5. Walk the market before making a purchase.
Just as prices can vary from store to store, prices vary stall to stall in the farmer’s market. When we visited recently, we found hot-house tomatoes varied up to a dollar a pound in price. Returns are not generally accepted at the markets, so made decisions about where your money is spent wisely.
6. Depending on your goal- going early or going late can make the difference in quality and price.
Going early in the morning means you get the freshest products, the ones that haven’t been sitting out all day. Going later in the day means that you can often get a better buy. If there are only a few items left, the owners may offer you a deal to take them all off their hands so they don’t have to bring them back or discard them. Not all markets will discount the items, but it never hurts to ask.
7. Visit on the days that no one else wants to go.
Rainy days or extremely hot days might deter other market goers, but you could score some great deals, and superior customer service when there are fewer shoppers. Plus you might be able to get some great information from the less harried farmers who can give tips and recipes to use the crops they’ve grown.
Visiting the farmer’s market is a weekend event in our family most of the summer. We love walking the buildings, people watching and picking out the fresh vegetables for our meals that week. Fresh and local doesn’t have to eat your entire grocery budget.
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