There’s nothing quite as satisfying as providing your family with a fresh, healthy and locally grown meal.
That’s why Aspirus Health celebrates National Farmers Market Week. Farmers markets are great places to find fresh fruits and vegetables, and experts say it’s good to take advantage of the benefits of the food sold there.
“Vine-ripened vegetables are so good for you,” Aspirus St. Luke’s Registered Dietitian Sarah Stock said. "They have peak nutrient quality. When you purchase foods from a store, they are often harvested a week or more ahead of time. When you’re buying something from a farmers market that is perhaps picked that morning or the day before, you’ll get much more bang for your buck.”
To get the most value for your dollar, berries, lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, peas, and beans should be chosen at a farmers market. Those foods carry fewer pesticides than those found in a store, and they are also much more likely to be cleaner and healthier at a farmers market.
To make going to the farmers market more affordable and accessible, each region where Aspirus Health is located offers assistance to residents.
Minnesota: Minnesota offers a program called Market Bucks that you can use at farmers markets throughout the state.
Wisconsin: Aspirus Health has established a Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program which helps provide patients with access to fresh produce. Eligible patients are given a “prescription” to use at one of many participating farmers markets in the Aspirus service area.
Michigan: The state of Michigan provides a food assistance program for farmers markets in which farmers can opt to participate in through a number of state and federal food assistance programs.
For more information and the list of participating farmers market locations, visit https://www.aspirus.org/fvrx-program.
