Venturing to your local farmers’ market can be a fun outing. You’re sure to see, smell and hopefully taste some delicious foods – and it might even inspire you to cook up something new.

There are great benefits of shopping at a farmers’ market. Organic fruits and veggies are generally cheaper, you get to eat fresh and seasonal and the variety of produce is outstanding.

Here are 5 things you should consider buying at a farmers’ market:

Berries
Local berries like strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are especially tasty in the summer. And purchasing local not only tastes better, it’s better for you. In theory fresh produce is great but it can lose nutrients fast, so by purchasing berries that are grown locally you’ll be limiting the loss of nutrients all while supporting local farmers! Did we mention they’re delicious…?

Honey
You can put honey on more than just toast! Honey is a natural sweetener and goes great in homemade drinks, desserts or salad dressings. Buying local honey has added health benefits. Raw honey hasn’t been heated or pasteurized and it contains vitamins, enzymes and other things like nutrients and antioxidants. Honey from a local market can also contain pollen, which includes many benefits like helping to strengthen a person’s immune system.

Eggs
Farm fresh eggs – there’s nothing better. Free-range eggs are in fact healthier than store bought eggs. Since the chicken is able to roam freely and soak up the sunlight, get plenty of exercise and enjoy a ‘natural’ diet, the eggs they lay come with added benefits. Eggs from the farm contain less cholesterol and saturated fat and have more vitamin A, E and D!

Tomatoes
Right from the vine, the tomatoes at the farmers’ market are nothing but delicious. No matter what kind you buy (beefsteak tomatoes, grape tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, green tomatoes…you get the picture) they are juicy, flavourful and there is a ton of variety! Also, no matter what tomatoes you go for they are rich in vitamin C. Similar to buying berries, if you get your tomatoes are from a market you’re buying them at their peak freshness.

Spices
When you think of a farmers’ market, spices probably aren’t the first thing that come to mind. However, you’re more likely to find a great selection of different spices that are fresher than what you’d find at your grocery store. It’s great place to check out for ethnic spices to broaden your cuisine horizons and spice up your life a little!