Are Farmers Markets Cheaper?
My family had a good time shopping at our local Farmers Market this weekend. I was disappointed not to find any strawberries, but we did pick up some tasty asparagus, spinach, tomatoes, and homemade bread.
However, I was surprised by some of the prices, and not in a good way. For example, we paid $4.00 for a bundle of asparagus, which is higher than a non-sale grocery store price. I’d always thought Farmers Markets were cheap because the food is grown locally and transportation and overhead costs are low.
In some cases I was right. The spinach was only $1 a bag, which is cheaper than bagged spinach salad at the supermarket. The tomatoes were about the same as grocery store prices.
So why did I buy stuff at the Farmers Market? The produce was fresh, local and in season–all of which add to the nutritional value. It also looked ripe and smelled good. I’ll admit the homemade bread was a total impulse purchase. Who can resist fresh homemade bread?
The bottom line is that Farmers Markets are great for tasty, nutritious, fresh food. You also get the warm fuzzy feeling of supporting local farmers. If you’re shopping strictly on price, however, you’ll need to come armed with a calculator and a list of comparable prices to make sure you aren’t paying too much.
