11 Things You Will Not Find at a Farmers Market

photo credit: Patrick Kuhl

I stepped into a Safeway the other day to pick up a few things for a sick child, and was surprised by the number of organic foods available. That's progress, I think. Still, I could have done without the helium balloons, aisles of candy and toys, and row upon row of packaged foods. My little shopping trip left me with a renewed appreciation for the farmers market.

11 things you will not find at a farmers market

1. Little plastic stickers on every piece of produce
2. Foods with tie-ins to popular TV characters
3. High fructose corn syrup
4. Magazines with scantily clad photo-shopped women prominently displayed
5. Cheap toys
6. Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners
7. Candy at my kids' eye level in the checkout line
8. Fluorescent breakfast cereals and yogurt
9. Bread with more than 20 ingredients
10. Eggs from caged chickens
11. Sodium Benzoate and other preservatives

When I shop with my 3 little ones at the farmers market, instead of my kids nagging me for Doritos or Fruit Loops, they beg me for blueberries, dried persimmons, and grapes. If you are trying to switch from food-like substances to real foods, the farmers market is a great place to start! Find your local farmers markets here.

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photo credit: Natalie Maynor

What would you add to the list?

Related Posts

• Getting the Most Out of Your Farmer’s Market
• How I Shop for Food
• My Love Affair with the Farmers' Market
• Things I Avoid Eating

Check out these additional posts about real food by Green Sisterhood bloggers:

• Top 5 Real Foods for Pregnancy by eco-mothering
• Real Food, Real Quick for Bad Cooks Like Me by The Soft Landing
• What is real food? by ecokaren

Would you like more ideas and tips about Going Green Gradually? Sign up for my free email subscription to get each of my posts delivered to your inbox (I usually post one or two times a week). You can also follow me on Facebook, Google Plus, Pinterest, Twitter, or with your favorite RSS Reader. I hope to see you again soon!

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