Look For The Nearest Farmers’ Market

There’s no better way to support Totowa, New Jersey farmers, than to buy the goods they sell. It not only helps them, it can be a big benefit for you. When you shop at a local farmers’ market, you often get fresh produce at a very reasonable price. Shop for the in-season vegetables and fruits that are grown locally and you’ll probably save money. Farmers’ markets offer a variety of produce, which also may include locally grown, gathered or processed eggs and cheese. You can often find cheese made from milk of grass fed cows and free-range eggs.

No matter what time of the year, there’s always something locally produced.

Fresh lettuce, not the iceberg variety, but the far more nutritious like Romaine lettuce, mache, butter lettuce and even baby spinach, kale and dandelion greens, are often sold at the farmers’ market. Mache is particularly high in vitamin C, unlike iceberg lettuce that’s low in nutrition. You will only find some of those greens at specialty areas in the grocery and at a far higher price. Asparagus is also another spring item that’s fresh. Grilled asparagus can top a salad or serve as a side dish, providing extra vitamin A, C and K, plus folate and fiber.

In the summer, there’s a lot of options.

In the summer there’s a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables at the farmers’ market and at a price you’ll love. While you may find the same tomatoes in the store, since local farmers often sell their produce to local groceries, the price is often better at a farmers market because there’s no middleman. Most small farmers also use organic methods, so you’ll have a lot of options to increase the nutrition at every meal. You may even find produce that isn’t at the grocery, like spaghetti squash, which is a substitute for the higher calorie pasta.

The prelude to winter brings fall options you’ll love.

When one bounty ends, the next one starts and other options appear at the farmers’ market. Root crops are big in the fall and the cooler weather allows for a second wave of lettuce. Deliciously healthy root crops like sweet potatoes and certain varieties of apples make their way to market for healthy options on your table. Brussels sprouts, cranberries, escarole, fennel, grapes and shelling beans are fresh, and ready to take home.

• Sweet potatoes, a fall root crop, help support brain health and have cancer fighting properties. Parsnips, another fall crop are rich in nutrients, packed with fiber and can help you lose weight.
• You’ll find it’s easy to use fresh vegetables, and they taste even more delicious than processed ones. Steaming whole fresh beets, then removing the skins will reveal a sweet treat like no other.
• If you want more variety and the taste of fresh produce year around, buy extra and freeze the produce immediately. Tomatoes are easy to freeze. Just cut off the stem and freeze. The skins come off easily when run under hot water before defrosting.
• You can boost your nutrition by adding fresh herbs to your meals. Freezing or drying the herbs will allow you to have them all year.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness Studio