There’s more to Tallahassee’s fine cuisine than the corndog stand outside of Standard, who would have thought? My biggest regret freshman year was not exploring Tallahassee and everything it really has to offer. It makes being away from home for so long way less overwhelming. Lake Ella is beautiful and has tons of cute little shops and cafes which not that many students know about! I only got around to visiting Lake Ella my junior year. It’s a great excuse to walk around with friends, enjoy the weather and take a study break. There is something special about that local “mom-and-pop” feel and Lake Ella’s got it. Not only that, but Lake Ella also hosts a Growers’ Market every Wednesday which features tons of fresh foods which are grown locally from farms around Tallahassee, as well as soaps, bread, cheeses and much more.
Courtesy: Lake Ella Growers’ Market
The Growers’ Market is actually different than a lot of other markets that sell fresh produce. Markets aren’t necessarily guaranteeing that their growers’ foods are organic. However Growers’ Market does in fact guarantee all of the food sold is organic as well as locally grown.
Unfortunately for college students, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet isn’t as easy as it seems. Some students simply just don’t have the time or money to add more nutrition to their diet. It’s so much easier to grab a fast food sandwich in the library while studying for an exam as opposed to going home and making a well balanced meal. The freshman fifteen is so real and in most cases inevitable. Healthy habits aren’t really appreciated until a traumatizing fifteen pounds are thrown on you in just one year.
The Growers’ Market is a great start to creating healthy habits and avoiding those extra calories. It’s also something to do! Who wouldn’t want to walk around a pretty lake and buy delicious goodies? Staying active is a great way to keep the pounds off even if it’s something as simple as walking. Sometimes within the semester, school takes over a good portion of students’ lives, but it is so important to take a break and do something for themselves – and I don’t mean Netflix. I mean something really beneficial that’s going to add something genuinely cool to their day. Honestly, it’s even great for a hangover. After a night of excessive drinking and a whole pizza…to yourself (it’s okay we’ve all been there), getting some vitamin D and new healthy snacks is great for you.
So get out of bed- Stranger Things will be there when you get back, chug a water and go to Lake Ella! Fill your fridge up with greens and fruits and realize how much of a difference your eating habits make on your entire life. The Growers’ Market is held every Wednesday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 229 Lake Ella Drive. Make it a routine! Who knows, maybe you’ll start a yoga class too.