Visiting your local farmers market isn't about spending an hour wandering through a maze of inconsistent offerings. It is about doing something that is good for you. People who consistently buy produce, dairy, and other provisions from their local farmers’ market benefit in three ways: better nutrition, stronger community connections, and ongoing learning. And that is just the start. Drawing on my own experience and research, the reasons to go to the farmers market are wide-ranging, making it easy to turn this trip into a lifetime habit.

Nutrient-dense produce. Farmers’ market fruits and vegetables are picked at peak freshness, often the morning of or the day before, so they retain higher nutrient levels. Farmers' proximity makes this possible, whereas most commercial produce (organic and conventional) is farmed farther away. This means produce is often picked days, sometimes weeks, before it ripens so it can be packaged and shipped. Research shows these methods can reduce fruits and vegetables' nutritional value by up to half by the time they reach the grocery store. In contrast, locally sourced produce has higher vitamin and mineral integrity.

Lower carbon footprint. Because farmers' market produce hasn’t traveled thousands of miles to reach you, it has a smaller environmental impact from transport. Also, farmers and purveyors are more likely to follow mindful, sustainable practices.

Greater food transparency. Market vendors are often 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 its own animals, how does it do that?

Larger food processing operations and commercial farms, even certified organic ones, can still use cruel animal practices or have a high carbon footprint. This is why so many are often cloaked in secrecy, unlike smaller local farms that tend to welcome visitors and answer 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 one 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 taste watery at best. This all goes back to its being picked at peak ripeness and not having to travel so far.

Seasonality and better variety. Go to the grocery store in November, and you’re likely to see the same produce you see 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 produce year-round—even if that means sourcing it from South America. The point is, everything at the farmers market is local and seasonal, opening 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's how we connect with our community and the food we eat.

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