Farmers' Market

An examination of the savings to be had by shopping at the local farmer's market instead of the grocery store.

Recently I made the decision to stop doing most of my weekly grocery shopping at the grocery store. Instead, I now do the majority of my shopping at my Farmers' Market. For me my local market is the Kitchener Market.

I've shopped at the Kitchener Market on and off for years, but I've never committed to doing the bulk of my shopping there until now. I was encouraged by some friends who do most of their shopping there to try it out. I did and I'm loving it - I can't imagine ever switching back! Let me tell you all the reasons why:

The Prices Are Better!

The vendors at the market don't have a lot of overhead since they are only operating a stall once or twice a week instead of a complete store. They also only accept cash, so they don't pay any fees to credit card companies. For these reasons they can offer you the same produce and meats you would get at the grocery store for less money. Some of the vendors at my market have stores as well and I've noticed they offer better deals at the market than at their own store. For example one fish vendor charges $3.99 for a 4-ounce marinated salmon filet at their store. At the market you can get those same filets 3 for $10.00 (a savings of $1.97).

Just for comparison sake I looked at what I normally buy and compared the market to grocery store prices when I was doing my shopping today. Here are the results:

ITEM	GROCERY STORE	MARKET
English Cucumber	$1.47 each	$0.75 each
Red Peppers	$2.97/lb or about $0.80-1.00 each	2/$1.00
Field Tomatoes	$1.27/lb	$0.29/lb
White Potatoes	$2.97 for a 5lb bag	$4.00 for a 5lb bag
Carrots	$1.67 for a 3lb bag	$2.00 for 3 lbs
Onions	$1.67 for a 3lb bag	$2.00 for 3 lbs
Celery	$1.97 each	$1.50 each
Bananas	$0.69/lb	$0.59/lb
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast	$6.05/lb	$4.99/lb
Large Eggs	$2.85	$2.75/dozen
Fresh Basil	$3.20 a bunch	$1.50 a bunch

Highlighted in blue is the cheaper item. While some of the items were cheaper at the grocery store, the majority were cheaper at the market. Though I buy in smaller quantities at the market (see my Food Waste post), were I to buy 10 lbs of potatoes I'd save even more money. The gentleman who sells me chicken at the Southern Pride Poultry stand told me that if I bought 5 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breast the price went down to $4.49/lb. Buy 10 lbs, the price goes down to $4.15/lb. It's amazing the deals you'll get if you buy in bulk. And remember, these are the everyday prices, you'll get them week after week.

Now the cost savings I get at my Kitchener Market are not the same you would get at every market. Some markets are more expensive because of their location and hours of operation. I would consider the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto and Covent Garden Market in London, Ontario to be great examples of this. These markets are centrally located in dense urban areas and are open 7 days a week. Real Farmers' Markets like the Kitchener Market happen once or twice a week, usually Thursday and Saturday.

If you want the best prices you need to go to the local market. This market might only operate one or two days a week, maybe even seasonally. There will also be little or no tourists; that is what you want. Farmers' Markets Ontario has a website where you can find a list of most markets in Ontario. Check it out and see if there is a market near you that you weren't aware of.

The Selection Is Better

Often the quality of the products available at the market is superior to that of the grocery store. It is frequently sold from the people who harvested it and therefore spends less time in transit, so it's fresher. There is also something great about being able to ask about a particular item and have someone extremely knowledgeable answer you. I often hear fellow shoppers asking "When was this picked", or "How do you cook this"? The vendors are always more than willing to help out.

One thing you have to be careful of is getting to the market early, otherwise you will miss out on the best stuff. Arrive late and there might be better prices as vendors try to sell everything, but it's not going to be their best.

It's Fun!

Grocery shopping can be considered a chore, but when you do it at the market I think it's an adventure. There are lots of things to see, smell and taste. I've turned grocery shopping from something I have to find time to do into something I can't wait to do. I sometimes have an exotic lunch or buy a pastry to make it feel special. And why not? You should enjoy life and this is great way to turn something you don't like doing into something fun.

Support Local

Support your local farmers and small businesses by buying their products. Supporting businesses that promote sustainable harvest practices is smart shopping. It's also nice to know your meats aren't being processed in large facilities where disease outbreaks are known to happen. 

Don't just take my word on the savings you'll experience. Check it out for yourself. Maybe you'll decide the market is the best thing in the world  (OK maybe that's a slight exaggeration) or perhaps you'll decide to stick to the tried and true grocery store. Either way it's great to explore your options and try something new.