Think Outside The...Grocery Store

In addition to "stuff," It's possible to be smart and thrifty with food too. The Farmer's Market is one of my favorite places to head to in the summer. I can think of at least 5 within 10 miles of my house. At the Farmer's Market, you can find tons of different varieties of locally grown fruits and veggies, and most importantly they are grown with little to no chemicals. The best thing about Farmer's Markets is that you'll likely pay less for food picked that morning than you would for food picked last week in California and shipped to the grocery store. This past Saturday, I checked out the Regional Market in Syracuse with my Sister in Law, and our timing could not have been better! We came upon an Organic seller just as they were packing up and they sold us some herbs and garlic at half price. I also picked up a couple of different varieties of hot and sweet peppers that I never see in the grocery store.

Other things you can find at the Farmer's Market in addition to fruits and veggies is fresh eggs, grassfed meats, locally made wines, pickles, salsas, jams and handmade goods.  Do yourself a favor - skip the "middle man," support your local economy and check out the local Farmer's Market.  LocalHarvest.org is a great site to use to locate Markets, Farms and CSAs. Check it out!