Let’s face it, eating healthy can be expensive. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be. Replace your vending machine chips and candy with high-quality, nutritious fruits and vegetables from a local farmers’ market.
By purchasing produce from a farmers’ market, you are not only supporting local farmers and the economy, but also these additional benefits:
- You can often find organic fruits and vegetables for a lower cost than supermarkets.
- Because produce is from local farms, you can find fresher (and tastier) options than foods that are shipped from long distances.
- You can enjoy more varieties of seasonal fruits and vegetables you may not find in a supermarket.
- It’s social! You can meet the farmers who are producing the food as well as connect with other people in your community.
Ready to check out a farmers’ market? You can find a map of markets near you from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
If you want to know what produce is in season, use the Massachusetts-Grown Produce Availability Calendar.
Resources:
- MassGrown Map—Find local markets throughout Massachusetts
- Massachusetts-Grown Produce Availability Calendar—Find out what is in season in Massachusetts so you know what is best to buy each month
- Farmers’ Markets information from Mass.gov—Find general information about farmers market programs and links to additional state resources
- Massachusetts farmers’ markets at VisitNewEngland.com—Includes information about markets where you will not only find fresh produce, but other specialty items such as handmade crafts, baked goods, flowers, and more.
Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® is a health initiative focused on helping Americans increase fruit & vegetable consumption for better health. Get information, meal planning tips, recipes, and more at www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org
