How to save money at the farmer’s market

by Jen (April 21, 2008)

There’s an art to saving money at farmer’s markets compared to grocery stores. The prices aren’t always lower, but there are other factors to consider that make farmer’s markets a better value for the money. And there are also some easy tips to make sure you spend less than what you would at a grocery store.

Why Farmer’s Markets are a better value, even when they’re more expensive

It’s true - sometimes you can pay more for an item at the farmer’s market than at the grocery store. But consider the following examples:

• A basket of strawberries. At the grocery store, that basket will contain some delicious strawberries - usually right on top where you can see them - and some that aren’t so great. At the farmer’s market, any baskets the stall keepers have put together beforehand will be full of good strawberries because if they’re not, you know exactly who to come back and complain to. They have a reputation to keep.
• The stall keepers will often help you pick out the best produce they have, and happily acknowledge when a piece you’ve chosen maybe isn’t so great. They can be an awesome source of information about how to pick good produce, too.
• Grocery stores aren’t green anymore. They used to be local, but now your produce is shipped from all over the globe, which uses up a lot of fuel, and why? You can buy all this produce locally.
• Grocery stores don’t usually have knowledgeable staff. Most of their employees are part-time kids who don’t know the best ways to store produce, to pack it or even how to tell the difference between the good and bad fruits and veggies. What they do know are the tricks Corporate tells them for keeping stuff looking good… until you get it home and cut into it. People who actually farm food tend to take pride in providing good food.
• Unlike grocery stores, farmers need your business. They need to you to come back. They need you to tell your friends. Therefore, they have a vested interest in impressing you and winning your loyalty with good value. Grocery stores know if you stop coming, they still have tons of customers to keep them afloat.
• Do you want your money supporting some corporate bigwigs in another state, or some hard-working locals right there in your community?

How to get the best bargains at the farmer’s market

Some items are cheaper at the farmer’s market, others are more expensive. It’s pretty easy to come out even with what you’d have spent at the grocery store and have better quality food to show for it. But to save money:

• Bring a notebook so you can write down prices on certain items from one stall to the next.
• Walk the whole market before buying anything. One stall may sell garlic tangerines at $1.50 per pound, and the next will be $1.25 (usually the quality will be about the same). By checking every stall first and taking notes on the items you want, you’ll get the best price.
• As with any grocery store trip, don’t get carried away buying everything that looks good or like a bargain. Buy what you need and can use in the next few days to a week - it’s not going to keep forever.
• Buy in bulk only if you can use the food. A common price scheme is where one item will be $4, but three will sell for $10. This is a nice savings, but only if you can use three items instead of one or two.
• Bring family or friends so you can split bulk purchases.
• Talk to the stall keepers. It doesn’t happen every time, but sometimes if you engage them in conversation about the produce, they’ll throw in an extra piece or offer you a bargain. They may also suggest recipes you never thought of or educate you on produce you’ve never tasted, which is another great form of value.
• Bring your own bags - whether you reuse plastic bags or bring canvas totes, the fewer plastic bags they have to provide, the more they will save, and the more savings they can pass on to you.
• Go at the end of the day, when stall keepers often bring down prices to sell off what they have left. This can backfire if the market is really popular, and people buy up all the good stuff early on. But generally, this isn’t the case.
• Try more than one market. If there are several in your area, some may have better bargains than others.
• Be flexible - if the items you usually buy are cheaper at the grocery store, look at the items that are cheaper at the market and consider giving them a try. You may discover a new favorite!
• Bring lots of change - singles and also coins (mainly quarters). Since most people don’t, farmers can have a tough time keeping enough change on hand. If you’re able to pay in exact change or close to it, they sometimes give you a little something extra for your consideration.
• You can offer to pay with skills instead of cash. Got a way to publicize them? Do their tax preparation? Some farmers are happy to barter.

And don’t forget about meat and cheese. Many markets offer them, and you will often get better tasting products from livestock that’s been kept in a relatively humane manner.

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Posted in Easy Food, Frugal
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