Shopping at the farmers market is not a matter of indulging away an hour wandering through a maze of inconsistent offerings. It is about doing something that is good for you. People who consistently buy their produce, dairy, and other provisions from their local farmers market benefit in three ways: greater nutrition, community connection, and continued learning. And that is just the start. Drawing from my own experience and research, the reasons for heading to the farmers market are wide-ranging, which make the case for turning this trip into a lifetime habit.

Nutrient dense produce. Fruits and vegetables on offer at the farmers market have been picked at peak freshness, often the morning of or day prior, which means they hold a higher concentration of nutrients. The locality of the farmers allows for this, whereas most commercial produce (organic and conventional) is farmed farther away. This calls for produce to be picked days, sometimes weeks, before it ripens to allow for it to be packaged and shipped. Research shows that these methods can cause fruits and vegetables to lose up to half of their nutritional value by the time they get to the grocery store. On the contrary, locally sourced produce has higher vitamin and mineral integrity.

Lower carbon footprint. Because farmers market produce hasn’t traveled thousands of miles to get to you, there is less of an environmental impact from its transport. Also, the farmers and purveyors are more apt to follow mindful sustainable measures in producing their products.

Greater food transparency. It is very likely that the market vendors are people closely involved in the practice, most often the actual farmer. They are passionate about what they do and are often thrilled to share their farming practices. When I meet a new vendor, I like to ask about their methods. Some questions to consider are: 

•  Are they certified organic? If not, do they spray pesticides?

• Is there risk of pesticide contamination from neighboring farms?

• Do they sell what they grow?

• Do they use GMO (genetically modified organism) seeds?

• How are their animals housed and fed? Do they have outdoor pasture?

• If the farm processes their own animals, how do they do it?

Larger food processing operations and commercial farms, even those that are certified organic, can still implement cruel practices for animals or have a high carbon footprint. This gives reason why so many are often cloaked in secrecy, in contrast to smaller local farms that tend to be welcoming to visitors and open to questions. So, talk to your vendors. They love building relationships with customers.

Vibrant flavor. Hands down, farmers market produce tastes better. A fresh tomato from the grocer and a fresh tomato from the farmers market are like two entirely different pieces of produce. The farmers market pick bursts with brightness, sweetness, tanginess, and lots of juice. The grocery store option will have a watery flavor at best. This all goes back to its being picked at peak ripeness and not having to travel so far.

Seasonality and better variety. Head to the grocery store in November and you’re likely to see the same produce that you do in June. Head to the farmers market in November and you’ll find kohlrabi, blue hubbard squash, and cardoons. The grocer’s goal is to stock the most popular and profitable pieces of produce year-round—even if that means getting it from South America. The point is, everything on offer at the farmers market is local and seasonal, which opens up a new world of fruits and vegetables that rarely get real estate in the produce aisle.

As you’ll see, shopping at the farmer’s market is part of a lifestyle shift. A consistent part of my family’s weekly routine, it is a way that we connect with our community and the foods that we eat.

To borrow from Michael Pollan, we have become a nation of “industrial eaters,” expecting to have access to any type of food at all times. This comes at the cost of our health, and it perpetuates the issue of a corrupt food system. By making small shifts in the way that we shop, we can create greater waves of change in our home, on our plates, and throughout the world.