Greetings dear readers, and cheers to an official happy fall! Although it has still been a good 80-90 degrees around NYC lately, I find myself absolutely overwhelmed in the best of ways by the prospects of the new season. With rich summer adventures having come to a close and classes now in full swing, it only seems right for crisp autumn days to be right around the corner (at least in theory). Soon will be the days of sweater weather, cozy socks and jeans, coffee dates in the park with friends, visits to apple orchards, pumpkin patches and fall markets, spooky movie nights, and snug days in with good reads and tasty meals. Speaking of markets and tasty meals, everyone, and I mean everyone, should be paying a visit to their local farmers market this season!
I know what you must be thinking: “Why would I ever need to venture out of Trader Joe’s?” and also probably something along the lines of, “that sounds expensive, time consuming, and too far away from me”. While Trader Joe’s is indeed somewhat of a wonderland, I’m here to be your greenmarket guru and introduce you to the magical world of markets because I assure you, you won’t want to miss out on them during fall primetime!
My love affair with farmers markets started just over a month ago when I embarked on a journey of changing my diet to all French meals and eating habits (More on that soon!). It sounds a bit random, I know. After all, who’s ever heard of a French Diet? To clarify, I’m not dieting. It’s more so about the literal concept of diet; that is my attitude about food and how and what I’m eating versus restricting, all through the lense of French culture and cuisine! One of the most important aspects of French cooking is preparing meals with fresh ingredients. In France, countless markets like Marché Mouffetard in Paris are open Tuesday to Sunday from 8a.m.-1p.m. French citizens make a habit of purchasing ingredients for their meals daily. In fact, the French are so serious about their daily trips to the market that they consider them to be not just a simple habit, but a crucial part of their lifestyle. It makes perfect sense seeing as most French meals are made up of seasonal produce and meats, but when I first discovered this, the biweekly trips to the grocery store I’d been taking for pretty much the majority of my adult life were quaking in their boots.
I knew I wanted to take the jump into pursuing a French diet, but in order to fully commit, I also knew I couldn’t take the Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s way out. For one, daily purchases at both business would surely leave me without a dollar to my name in a week or two flat. I also felt that truly embracing French attitudes about cooking meant I should go out of my way to spend time learning to appreciate the foods I would be using; Something I knew I couldn’t do in a stuffy supermarket. I did my research and found that to my delight and convenience even, the Union Square Greenmarket (only 15 minutes or so away from me) was open four days a week and was even nationally renowned for its selections in everything from produce to seafood, to even wines and flowers. I had gone to a few farmers markets having grown up in Kansas, but my first time going to the Union Square Greenmarket was like nothing I’d ever experienced. To make a long story short, I knew from the very first vendor I stopped at that I was hooked!
Now, at this point I’m all too ready to spill about why green markets are so special, but there’s one major point I think is really important to get across before I do. Under no circumstances do you have to be undergoing a French food revival such as myself in order to enjoy a farmers market! I encourage anyone who is even remotely curious about markets in their area to give one a try. There’s no dietary agenda required, just an open mind and stomach because there are some really amazing benefits to shopping at greenmarkets!
Here are my five reasons everyone and everyone should be making a visit to a farmers market this fall:
1. Taste is everything!
The only items I buy from grocery stores anymore are lemons and limes, which aren’t a New York staple, milk products, because I generally drink oat milk unless I need a splash of heavy cream for a dish, and certain spices that aren’t available unless imported. You won’t find me purchasing any of my more central grocery items in a supermarket because, to put it simply, everything sold at greenmarkets taste so much better! The foods there are fresh as can be because they’re seasonal, locally and more ethically grown, and sold with love, which is one big recipe for tastes and flavors you just can’t (and won’t) find in a supermarket!
2. It’s a simple and interactive way to explore seasonal foods!
By shopping at local farmers markets, you begin to take a seasonal approach when shopping for your meals. Not only do you get to learn about where your produce comes from, but you learn exactly what is on the market. Everything available is in its prime; ripe as can be and at a nutritional peak in comparison to foods offered at supermarkets which are usually picked early so that they’re ripened by the time they’re put on sale in-store. By shopping seasonally, you’re able to skip out on imported foods that honestly, just aren’t fresh. Seasonal produce and meats will reflect the most rich and delicious flavors true to the time of year! Unsure of what produce is available right now? You can visit here to check out what’s in season in your region!
3. You’re buying locally which supports the economy and your friendly farmers!
Purchasing goods from your local farmers, ranchers, apothecaries, and more allows you to support local agriculture through your business. That means you’re supporting more ethical agricultural practices, you’re eating the freshest possible foods from nearby, and you’re cutting down on the huge energy waste and carbon footprint it takes to ship produce from halfway around the world! As mentioned above, the foods you purchase are at their most flavorful and nutritious because they’re available to you immediately after picking from only an hour or two away at most; all without the abuse of fossil fuels it takes to ship food in the U.S. an average of 1,500 miles just to get to your kitchen table! Also, you’re supporting a very down-to-earth farming community and the local economy, not massive agricultural corporations.
4. Everything is CHEAPER and healthier too!
Not only will you find a variety of fresh organic produce that are more affordable than at the typical supermarket, the majority of farmers carry low-priced products that are free of pesticides and herbicides. Most items are weighed per pound or bundle as you’d find in supermarkets, but what you get per pound or bundle far surpasses the quality and amount you’d purchase in-store! You’re also at less risk of purchasing foods having developed E. coli, Salmonella, or other unfortunate germy outbreaks as your foods haven’t been mass produced or preserved in gigantic proportions.
5. It’s an awesome way to connect to your community!
I don’t know about you, but on a bright sunny day, I’d much rather go for a stroll amongst booths and booths of fresh produce, baked goods, flowers, and art than be confined to an intensely crowded grocery store with crazy lines and blaring music. Since I began doing my grocery shopping at the Union Square Greenmarket, food shopping has become more of a treat than a chore. Greenmarkets are more than just a place to fill up your cart. They’re places of community to explore with your friends and family, meet vendors, and get a taste of something wholesome and personal that you wouldn’t otherwise experience in New York City! Farmers, ranchers, and artisans at the farmers market love to educate about their products and give you plenty of recipes and advice on how to go about cooking all the delicious things you find!
Just like the French, visiting my local greenmarket has become a crucial part of my lifestyle. Not only is it culturally enriching, healthy, easy on my bank account, great for the economy, and absolutely delish, it’s a fun highlight to my week and I encourage everyone to take a chance on your local market as it can truly transform the relationship you have with your meals and your community!