Farmers’ Markets offer a variety of fresh, locally-produced fruits, vegetables, bakery and meat products in a festive atmosphere. Get the most from your local Farmers’ Market with these tips for food safety, food selection and friendly advice to for the Farmers' Market in your neighborhood or community! Developed by Amy Peterson, MS RDN and Alice Henneman, MS RDN, Nebraska Extension

2. AMY PETERSON, MS RD
ALICE HENNEMAN, MS RDN
REVISED 2016 • THIS IS A PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATION

5. The U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) estimates over 1,000,000 people
visit a Farmers’ Market weekly!

6. The average supermarket
produce travels about 2,000
miles to its destination,
compared to 50 miles for
Farmers’ Market produce!
That’s like
traveling
from
Chicago to
Los
Angeles!

7. There are over 8,000 Farmers’
Markets in the United States!

8. Farmers’ Markets Make $en$e!
Great prices on fresh produce and
garden goodies for everyone!

9. Fresh herbs are often available
at very reasonable prices!
Farmers’ Markets Make $en$e!

10. Home-baked goodies may be another
bargain and a special treat! Make sure to
ask about allergens, if needed.
Farmers’ Markets Make $en$e!
Photocredit:ShellaScarborough|https://flic.kr/p/piAQHP|CCBY4.0|croppedslightly

11. Farmers’ Markets Make $en$e!
Locally raised
meat may be
available in
some markets.

12. Farmers’ Markets Make $en$e!
Take home some fresh cut flowers!

13. Farmers’ Markets Make $en$e!
Some USDA programs offer food
vouchers for qualified participants in
participating states:
– Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition
Program (SFMNP)
– Women, Infant, and Children (WIC)
Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
(FMNP)
Photocredit:USDA

14. Find State SFMNP (Senior Market) Contacts at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/sfmnp/sfmnp-contacts

15. Find state FMNP (WIC Market) contacts at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/fmnp/fmnp-contacts

17. Farmers’ Markets offer a colorful variety of fruits
and vegetables — which provide vitamins, minerals
and phytochemicals (fight-o-chemicals).

18. “Fruits and vegetables come in terrific
colors and flavors, but their real
beauty lies in what's inside. Fruits
and vegetables are great sources of
many vitamins, minerals and other
natural substances that may help
protect you from chronic diseases.”

19. “To get a healthy variety, think color. Eating
fruits and vegetables of different colors
gives your body a wide range of valuable
nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium, and
vitamins A and C. Some examples include
green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, black
beans, yellow corn, purple plums, red
watermelon, and white onions. For more
variety, try new fruits and vegetables regularly.”

20. Focusing on Phytochemicals
in Fruits and Veggies
• Promote health
• Protect against the
effects of aging
• Reduce the risk of some
cancers and heart
disease

21. Lycopene in red and yellow-orange fruits and
vegetables (such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots)
May help lower the risk of prostate and other cancers

22. Lutein and zeaxanthin in leafy greens (such
as collard greens, spinach, romaine lettuce)
May help promote healthy eyes

23. Flavonoids in brightly colored fruits and vegetables
(such as blueberries, cherries, strawberries).
May help reduce heart disease risk

24. EAT YOUR FRUIT AND
VEGGIES!
Diets rich in dietary fiber have been shown to
have a number of beneficial effects including
decreased risk of coronary artery disease.
Photocredit:USDA

25. Vitamin C helps heal cuts
and wounds and keep
teeth and gums healthy.
EAT YOUR FRUITS
AND VEGGIES!

26. EAT YOUR FRUITS AND
VEGGIES!
Healthful diets with adequate folate may reduce a woman’s
risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord defect.
Photocredit:USDA

27. EAT YOUR FRUIT AND
VEGGIES!
Vitamin A keeps
eyes and skin
healthy and helps
to protect against
infections.

28. EAT YOUR FRUITS
AND VEGGIES!
Diets rich in potassium may help to
maintain a healthy blood pressure.

29. Use MyPlate as a Portion Size Guide

30. MyPlate: Fruits
Eat the equivalent of 2 cups
of fresh, canned or frozen
fruits per day (for a 2,000
calorie diet).
Note this equivalent:
¼ cup dried fruit = ½ cup fruit

31. MyPlate: Vegetables
Eat the equivalent of 2½ cups of
raw or cooked vegetables per day
(for a 2,000 calorie diet).
Note this equivalent:
2 cups raw leafy greens =
1 cup of vegetable

32. For optimum health, scientists
say eat a rainbow of colors. Your
plate should look like a box of
CRAYONS!
~Janice M. Horowitz,
TIME, January 12, 2002

33. Eggplant, purple grapes,
plums, raisins, blueberries,
blackberries, purple figs,
dried plums, black currants

34. Leafy greens, asparagus, green
peppers, broccoli, green beans, peas,
cabbage, green onion, Brussels
sprouts, okra, zucchini, Chinese
cabbage, green apples, green grapes,
honeydew melon, kiwifruit, limes

35. Cauliflower, mushrooms, white
beans, onions, garlic,
parsnips, shallots, turnips,
ginger, jicama, bananas, pears

36. Carrots, summer squash, corn, sweet
potatoes, butternut squash,
pumpkin, yellow peppers, rutabagas,
cantaloupe, grapefruit, lemons,
nectarines, oranges, peaches,
pineapples, tangerines, apricots,
mangoes, papayas

37. Tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, tomato
juice, tomato soup, red peppers, red
onions, beets, red cabbage, kidney
beans, apples, pink grapefruit, red
grapes, strawberries, cherries,
watermelon, raspberries, cranberries,
pomegranates

38. Dish Up Some Good Health!

39. BEGIN WITH BREAKFAST
• Pancakes with
blueberries
• Yogurt with fruit and
whole grain cereal
• Purple grape juice
• Fresh fruit smoothie

40. SNACKS ON THE GO
• Fresh fruit
• Soy nuts and dried fruits
• Fresh veggies with
hummus or dip

41. FARMERS MARKET
MEAL PLANNING
• Tuna salad with grated
carrots, red peppers,
onions and garlic
• Whole grain pasta with
tomato sauce and
fresh herbs
• Fresh vegetable soup

42. Remember to Color Your
Plate with Good Health!

44. Look for produce that is free from unusual odors or
colors and signs of spoilage such as mold.
Photocredit:John|https://flic.kr/p/4rn4DK|CCBY-NC4.0|Croppedslightly

45. Handle produce gently to
reduce bruising. Bacteria can
thrive in the bruised areas.

46. Different fruits and vegetables require
different temperature and humidity levels
for proper storage.

47. Store these foods at
room temperature!
Tomatoes
Pumpkins and Winter Squashes
Bananas
Onions
Potatoes
(all varieties)
Melons
(all varieties)
Imagesource:www.pachd.com

48. Store these fruits and
vegetables in a clean, dry, well-
ventilated place, away from
direct sunlight and away from
areas where meat, fish, and
poultry are prepared.

49. Ripen these foods on counter,
then store in refrigerator!
Avocado
Plums
Kiwifruit
Peaches and
Nectarines
Pears
Imagesource:www.pachd.com

50. Avoid placing produce in a sealed
plastic bag on your countertop.
This slows ripening and
may increase off-odors
and decay from
accumulation of carbon
dioxide and depletion of
oxygen inside the bag.

51. Most other fresh
fruits and vegetables
keep best stored in a
clean refrigerator at a
temperature of 40° F
or below.

52. • Fruits give off ethylene
gas which can shorten
the storage life of
vegetables.
• Some vegetables give
off odors that can be
absorbed by fruits and
affect their quality.
Store fruits in a separate refrigerator
crisper drawer from vegetables.

53. Refrigerate fruits and
vegetables in perforated
plastic bags to help maintain
moisture. This helps provide
air flow and prevent growth
of mold or bacteria.

54. If you don’t have
access to commercial,
food-grade, perforated
bags, use a knife or
scissors to make
several small holes in a
food-grade plastic bag
(about 20 holes per
medium-size bag).

55. Refrigerator StorageStore raw meat,
poultry and seafood
on the bottom shelf
of the refrigerator so
juices don’t drip
onto other foods.
Photocredit:USDA

56. • Wet hands with clean, warm
water
• Apply soap; work into a lather
• Rub hands together for 20
seconds; rinse under clean,
running water
• Dry hands with disposable
paper towel or clean cloth towel
Wash hands properly before
handling produce

57. Wash produce thoroughly
Wash produce before using it, NOT when you bring it
home. Fresh produce has a natural protective coating
that helps keep in moisture and freshness.
Washing produce before storage causes it to spoil faster.

58. • Remove and discard outer leaves of
produce such as cabbage and lettuce.
• Rinse under clean, running water just
before preparing or eating.
• Don’t use soap or detergent as it can get
into produce and make you sick

59. • Rub firm produce
briskly, scrubbing
with a clean brush or
hands, to clean the
surface
• Dry with a clean cloth
or paper towel
• Cut away bruised and
damaged areas

60. Moisture left on
fruits and
vegetables
helps bacteria
grow. Dry them
if you won’t eat
or cook them
right away.

61. • Bacteria on the outside
of produce can be
transferred to the inside
when they are cut or
peeled
• Rinse produce even
when the peel is
removed ― such as for
melons and citrus fruits!

62. Once you have cut through the
protective out skin, bacteria can enter.
Refrigerate cut or peeled fruits and
vegetables within TWO hours!

64. Enjoy picking your produce at the
Farmers’ Market!

65. Take your time! Get some
exercise and enjoy the day!
Photocredit:USDA

66. Got kids or grandkids?
Take them along!
Many kids have
never seen or tried
some of the foods at
Farmers’ Markets.
Let them see……
Photocredit:USDA

67. ….carrots with their tops!

68. ...zucchinis with blossoms

69. ...cauliflower surrounded
by a cocoon of leaves

70. Bring some cash!

71. • Take your own canvas or net bags or
baskets, as Farmers’ Markets don’t usually
have shopping carts
• Wide woven baskets help prevent produce
from piling on each other
• Place heavier items at the bottom of the
basket or bag
• To avoid squishing your produce, consider
shopping with several bags or baskets

72. How Clean is Your Market Bag?
Reusable bags are an eco-friendly alternative
to plastic bags for carting your grub home
from the farmer's market, grocery store or
big box store. You can help prevent bacteria,
yeasts and mold from growing on your bags
and cross-contaminating your food by
washing and storing the bags safely between
each use.
http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/clean_living/cleaning_reusable_bags.aspx

73. http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/clean_living/cleaning_reusable_bags.aspx

74. DRESS COMFORTABLYDRESS COMFORTABLY

75. Shop early! The best and most
popular items go first!
Enjoy the cooler mornings for
your market adventure!

76. • The weather can change fast!
• Wear comfortable shoes if you
have to walk a lot
• Keep a jacket and umbrella in the
car in case of wet weather

77. Experiment! Try something
new! You might find a tasty
treat for your family’s menu!

78. Learn about new and
old favorites, how to
prepare them and
when they are ripe.
Most farmers and
vendors love to share
what they know and
may be able to give
you cooking and
recipe hints.

79. CHECK IT ALL OUT!
• See who has what
and at what price
• Buy something you
haven’t tried before
• Ask the grower ways
to select and prepare
your produce

80. TRY NOT TO OVER-BUY
Photocredit:USDA
Avoid over-buying. Buy only
what you’ll eat when fresh

82. “Pick” up more facts
about produce at the
following websites!

83. http://food.unl.edu/nep-materials
Fruit and Vegetable Tip Sheets!

84. http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/

85. Further questions? Contact your local Extension
office or check out http://food.unl.edu!

86. Thank You to the following Peer Reviewers (in alphabetical
order). Your time and expertise was greatly appreciated!
Stacy Adams, MS
Julie Albrecht, Ph.D, RD
Connie Fisk, MS
Lisa Franzen Castle, Ph.D, RD
Phillip Johnson, Ph.D
Carol Larvick, MS
David Lott, MS
Nancy Urbanec

87. Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the
University of Nebraska–Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United States
Department of Agriculture.
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension educational programs abide with the
nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United
States Department of Agriculture.