Freshen up your food shopping

Fall can be one of the greatest times to get fresh, local produce. As the summer winds down, fruits and veggies such as squash, apples, sweet potatoes, and beets ripen in abundance. Support your local farm and weave these healthy items and more into your weekly mean plan. Below are great ways to easily find fresh, locally grown produce:

CSAs

Get fresh fruits and veggies delivered right to your neighborhood by joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). With a membership, you receive a box of veggies and sometimes fruits on a weekly basis. Shares are usually dropped off at a central location in a neighborhood for pick-up.

This provides a great way to try new vegetables and find different recipes to use up your weekly share. Find a local CSA to participate through Local Harvest.

Co-op or local organic markets

Shopping at specialty, organic markets can get expensive but just buying a few fresh items each week to make a salad or to use in a few special recipes makes those meals so enjoyable and tasty. Joining a local co-op can help keep costs of fresh produce down since members often trade hours worked for lower shopping prices.

Farmers markets

Find a bevy of local growers, artisan bakers, and even fish, cheese, and meat sellers at a local farmer’s market. These can often be a one-stop shop to stock up on the majority of your fresh ingredients for the week. Fresh produce from these markets will often last longer than if bought at the local grocery store since they’re more recently picked!

Find your local farmers markets through Local Harvest.

Mom Central