I love my local farmers market for a whole bunch of reasons: shopping locally, eating in season, talking to the farmers, feeling like an active member in my community… and I love a weekly ritual. I love to post little snippets of my Sunday mornings on instagram stories, and I’ve recently realized that some people are a little intimidated by their community markets. I’ve rounded up some easily implementable tips to help you make the most of your market trip!

• Do a lap before starting to buy. Check out all your options with vendors and offerings. If you stop at the first produce stand you see for your tomatoes, you won’t need to buy the beautiful organic tomatoes from heaven at the back of the market.
• Start early! My market goes 8-12 PM, and if I show up at 11:30 all my favorite vendors are out of things. The perks to going later are the occasional closing-time deal on surplus items. It’s a gamble so I’d rather play it safe and have more options.
• Don’t feel pressured. If you’re walking by a table, vendors might call out to you or offer samples to lure you in. Just because they’re polite, you’re not obligated to buy whatever they’re selling if you don’t want it. I’d feel bad turning down a nice old lady selling banana bread, but if it’s three times more than I’m willing to pay and I didn’t want any in the first place… I walk away.
• Know what’s in season. You should have a realistic idea of what you can find there versus what you want to buy at the grocery store. I live on a desert mountain where bananas will likely never grow. I can go to the farmers’ market for seasonal, local produce, but need to shop elsewhere for some items.
  

  BONUS TIP: KEEP IT ECO-FRIENDLY

• Bring your own bags! Both reusable shopping + produce bags! I also like to go a step further and bring a container (like a mason jar or tupperware) for smaller, softer fruits, like cherry tomatoes or strawberries. If you’re someone who is inclined to buy coffee or juices from food vendors, bring a cup.