Simple, Sustainable Swaps for Food

Waste isn’t waste until we waste it.

will.i.am

The One Where You Didn’t Go To The Grocery Store

Welcome to the second edition of the short series: “Simple, Sustainable Swaps.” I’m glad y’all decided to come back.  Today I decided to talk about Farmer’s Markets for a couple of reasons, the main ones being that I am slightly afraid to go to the store right now (I don’t know how many people touched those Kombuchas before me!) and I’m hungry.  As a Trader Joe’s fanatic, I will probably never be able to cut out going to the store, but I do try to get to my local Farmer’s Market every Saturday and stock up on what I can, and snag a pastry from my favorite French baker.

Even with the ongoing pandemic, local farmers are working to put food on our tables and theirs. This sign is posted outside of my local market every Saturday, with volunteers standing at the entrances monitoring how many people come in and out, and ensuring that people are staying 6ft apart. Every Thursday, my mom, boyfriend, and I order and pay online for everything we want. The following Saturday, we take a stroll up to the market to pick up our fresh fruits, veggies, and even a make at home pizza kit!

While I will be highlighting my local market, please look into markets near you because they may be open and ready for business! Also, if you are in the D.C. Metro area and want some of the delicious food from the Falls Church Farmer’s Market, to get out of the house, or to walk around a new neighborhood that isn’t the same one you’ve been meandering for the past two months, then come on over.

***Disclaimer:  I am not sponsored by any of the companies that I mention. All opinions and research are my own.  Do with it what you may, but may I remind you, I am an Accountant, not an Environmental Scientist or an English Professor. I’m just out here trying my best. Aren’t we all?***

Why Choose Farmer’s Markets?

On average, food from your grocery store travels 1,500 miles before it gets to your plate.  That is the equivalent of traveling from Denver to Washington D.C., or Houston to Mount Rushmore.  With the consumption of fossil fuels, extra packaging, preservatives, pesticides and so much more, the healthy food that you’re eating from large grocery stores is at the expense of the environment. Shop local and shop in season at markets wherever you go to take full advantage of the delicacies that are produced so close to home. There are a plethora of other reasons why shopping local is better for you and the environment but that would make this blog post way longer than most of you would like to read so…. On to the main event:

The Falls Church Farmer’s Market

Under normal circumstances, the market is free to roam 8 a.m. to 12 p.m every Saturday. You can sample the seasonal fruits and vegetables, smell the small batch soaps, and get a paper bag of fresh mini donuts (I cannot stand the smell of them. They do, however, taste delicious!). Due to the social distancing and minimizing the amount of people, you are no longer allowed to wander and fill up on delicious samples, (I know!!! They took away the best part!) but you can still get most of your favorite foods to satiate yourself until the next weekend. I am going to highlight some of my favorites but please take a look at the full list of vendors and see what tickles your fancy.

Click Here for Full List of Vendors at the Falls Church Farmer’s Market

I am a huge pastry and apple fan so that is usually what I gravitate to, but there are so many options! The best part about farmer’s markets is branching out and trying different things with local foods.

My favorite apple/fruit vendor is Toigo Orchards. I’ve bought their Honey Crisp and Pink Lady apples, mini cucumbers, red cherry tomatoes and apple cider, but nothing compares to their Golden Fuji apple sauce. I buy it by the case (6), and even then, it only lasts about a week and a half. It is sweet, with just the right touch of tart, and comes in the large mason jars which are perfect to reuse in a pantry! They also have a variety of different tomato sauces, Bloody Mary mixes, and honey to help complete any meal.

For all my sweet and savory pastry needs, Rustiq Bakery has my heart with their almond croissants and caramelized onion and bleu cheese quiches. Not all of their products are available online (if they were, Sam and I would be eating their fruit tarts in unhealthy quantities), but sometimes they bring a few extras with them, so it never hurts to ask. They have started selling ‘make at home pizza kits’ with dough and toppings (veggie and meat options) for two pizzas. It has helped add some variety to our quarantine meals and gives us something fun to do together.

As a pescatarian, (it’s saying it’s spelled wrong but I googled it so… If google and I are wrong, please send help) I love the amount of seafood options our market has. Chris’ Marketplace has crab cakes, salmon cakes, and a variety of empanadas which he has dubbed ’empamuchos’. His gazpacho will make anyone feel like they are in the Spanish Riviera, and since that’s about as close as we will get to a vacation, it’ll have to do. He doesn’t have a website, but he takes orders by phone at 202-412-2518 or by email at choge07@gmail.com. Since he doesn’t have a menu either, I’ve posted one here!

For all of your leafy green needs, Endless Summer Harvest has, by far, the most delicious salad greens I have ever tasted, both in and out of restaurants. The greens are grown hydroponically and pesticide free all year which allows you to get them any time during the year. You may think that $18 for a large bag of lettuce is a lot, but we have gotten 12 good salads out of it with some to spare. Thats only $1.50 per salad! Two weeks later, the lettuce is still as fresh and crunchy as the first day we bought it. Someone please tell me what store bought brand can do that? They also have living plants like basil and parsley you can plant which is perfect for the summer. 10/10, great greens.

There are so many other great vendors like Sexy Vegie (vegan cuisine, try the burgers), Metro Microgreens (try their variety pack), and Family of Nuts (try their cocoa covered almonds), to name a few.

So…

If you want a different reason to go outside besides taking out your trash or getting the mail, check out the measures your local market is doing during this time and go if you can! Get the ingredients to make a gourmet meal instead of the pasta you have been eating. Both your local farmers and your stomach will thank you.

Feel free to comment with your favorite farmer’s market finds, and let me know if you have any suggestions for future posts or know of small businesses that are out there making a big impact on the world.

Send me an email at hello@sustenance-and-sustainability.com and check in next week for a new post! I don’t know what it is yet, but there will be one!

Yikes,

Nicole