Every Wednesday there is a small farmer’s market in the parking lot of the Whole Foods near where I work. I’ve been wanting to go for a while, but haven’t had the chance to until yesterday.
If you’ve never been to a farmer’s market, you are missing out, especially if you’re like me and love free food. All of the ones I’ve visited thus far are pretty much the same, but sampling all the fresh fruit never gets old! There’s always a number of vendors selling all sorts of food (fruits, veggies, desserts, BBQ, Mexican, Indian, Mediterranean, Asian, etc.) and goods (clothes, art, body products, etc.). A lot of times there will be music or performances by community groups or local artists. This one even had a small petting zoo and pony rides.
Overall, I’ve found that the prices are slightly cheaper than buying in the grocery store, but what I really like is that you know that you’re buying produce that’s in-season and fresh. I’ll also say this: since I’ve started buying more of my weekly produce at the farmer’s market, my grocery bill has gone down drastically. I think this has a lot to do with the fact that the grocery store atmosphere makes people like me, hungry, more inclined to make impulsive purchases or buy way more than what I can eat before it spoils (**moment of silence for all my wasted food**). Farmer’s markets have a much more mellow atmosphere, which makes just going an enjoyable experience, even if you buy very little.
If you haven’t already, I would definitely encourage you to take a trip to your local farmer’s market. I’ve provided a list of a number of ones that are held in the greater Los Angeles area. I’ve also included a couple of links that also list some (there may be duplicates). If you live out here, I guarantee you that there is at least one that you’ll be able to go to. If you don’t live out here, a simple Google search will help you locate one near you. So, find one that works best with your schedule, grab some cash and get out to the market!
Here’s the list (copied from www.FarmerNet.com):
A lot of the success I’ve had thus far with changing my diet hasn’t been as much due to will power as it has been due to controlling what is available to eat, so when I ran across this article I really wanted to share since I know a number of people who are working on eating more healthfully. Removing items that are detrimental to your health from your home is a great way to start changing your eating habits. This article has some good tips on how to go about doing this. I’ve posted the entire article below, but I would suggest you check out 
Beautifully Bernadette 