Visit Little Rock's Farmers Markets for Healthy Food

Summer is finally here! What better way to enjoy warm sunny weather than to check out what’s been growing in your area? Local farmers markets are a great way to find fresh, whole, healthy foods. If you haven’t visited a farmers market before, here are some great reasons to start now. 

What are the benefits of visiting a farmers market?

1. Fresh local food. If you are looking for ways to improve your nutrition, farmers markets offer a great source for fresh, locally grown food. Why does this matter? Fresh food tastes better. If you think you don’t like vegetables, try eating something freshly picked and in-season. It might taste like a whole new food! Foods that travel across the country in a truck are often bred for their longevity rather than their flavor, and may be subjected to various forms of treatment in order to prolong their freshness as well. In contrast, local farmers who grow for a farmers market or offer a CSA can focus on flavor, color, and texture instead. They can also offer a wider variety and selection. A grocery store may only offer a few varieties of something like apples, pears, or tomatoes, but you may find someone at the farmers market who grows twelve kinds of tomatoes. 
2. Fewer temptations. When you walk into a grocery store, all the options are right in front of you. Even if you stick to the edges and opt for fresh foods, the end caps and check out lanes are packed with impulse buys, most of which are candy or heavily processed snack foods. If you’re going to splurge, you may walk out with a soda and a candy bar. In contrast, at a farmers’ market your options are more limited. You may be more likely to walk out with a handful of fresh dill that smelled so good you couldn’t resist it. Chances are you won’t miss the candy bar at all.    
3. Ways to connect with local businesses. Depending on the regulations where you are, you may find more than food at your local farmers market. Local businesses are sometimes able to set up a booth to let you know what they have to offer. This is a great way to get to know what your neighbors are offering and to support your local economy. 
4. Social and community connections. A farmers market offers a unique opportunity to connect with friends, family, and neighbors while accomplishing a necessary task. Being able to get some great food while visiting with people and maybe listening to a little music can turn an ordinary task into something special. 

In addition to the reasons listed, local farmers markets support local producers, and often have a more beneficial environmental impact than large scale producers. Shipping produce is a large source of fossil fuel emissions. Local producers are also more likely to practice humane and environmentally sound care for their animals, so if you are concerned about the quality of life that farmers provide for their livestock, a farmers market gives you a first-hand opportunity to hear about how they care for their animals. 

Farmers markets aren’t just about fruits and vegetables, either. You can often find small-batch cheese, maple syrup, honey, handmade soap, preserves and pickles, frozen meat, flowers, and free range eggs as well. In the spring, some farmers markets offer plants for your garden, and in the fall some have pumpkins for carving. The way the market reflects the changing seasons means that every week is an adventure, and you never know what you might find. 

For a great list of the farmers markets in the Little Rock area, check out the Little Rock Soiree’s article, with links to social media pages for the various markets in the area. For ideas about how to use that great produce, Dr. Traci Kiernan's e-cookbook Eating on Purpose is full of recipes for how to use vegetables in every way - raw, cooked, as sides, main dishes, and breakfasts too.