“But I just can’t afford to buy all those fruits and veggies. Gets expensive.”
True, but it depends on where you go. When going veg, whether to make a permanent lifestyle change, try a temporary detox-type plan for a few weeks, or just wanting to get more healthy fruits and vegetables in your diet, I often hear people mention the cost. After all, buying food in this country has increasingly become about the quick and cheap. But that’s where Farmer’s Markets come into play, in a very frugal way.
Most Farmer’s Markets, in my experience, offer much better prices than anything you will find in a typical grocery store chain. Although some items are only a little cheaper, take bananas being about 10-15 cents cheaper/lb, some end up being quite a steal, such as melons and especially those red/yellow/orange bell peppers that the main grocery chains seem to love to charge an outrageous $3.99/lb for (my last check I was paying about $2.35/lb from a Farmer’s market).
Good news since that those tasty peppers are very low point on the Weight Watchers®.
There have been times when I emptied out my backpack before heading out, filled it up at the market, and still had two 
grocery bags full of produce to walk back to my car for only about $20-$25. The deals really are amazing. Not to mention the fact that the market I go to also has live music, some mighty fine raw/organic smoothies, and raw/vegan burgers as well. Can make a whole afternoon out of it.
Not only that, but produce stands and flea markets can provide some great deals as well. Produce stands have the benefit of usually being open more often than the Farmer’s Markets and Flea Markets, but have similar deals, depending on the produce stand. Usually there is still a savings there, though sometimes not as much.
I have frequented both The Saturday Morning Market in St. Petersburg, FL and Oldsmar Flea Market as well and found not only some great deals on produce, but the added benefit of local business offering their services and other products. 
And that Oldsmar Fleamarket…man, that place can be quite interesting. Feel like I am in the Goblin Market in Hellboy II at times. Or that I should hear the Cantina music from Star Wars. Quite an interesting collection of characters to say the least, and the deals make it worth the trip from St. Pete.
So, whether looking to try going veg, want to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, or just want to find a cheaper way to get your produce, check out your local Farmer’s Markets, Produce Stands, and Flea Markets. You may just find some surprisingly good deals, and interesting sights.
Need help on where to start? Check the links for a way to search for Farmer’s Markets and Flea Markets in your neck of the woods:
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That’s what I miss about living in St. Pete. I used to be so close to the Saturday Morning Market. Now, I live in Tampa and spend a lot of time in Palm Harbor, so I might check out the Oldsmar Flea Market. I also like the Fruit Stand and Nursery on Henderson just passed Linebaugh in Tampa. I get bananas for twenty-five cents a pound. Publix wants sixty-nine cents a pound for green inedible banana bricks.
[...] sure that they are there for us when we want them. The same can’t be said for the local farmer’s market, and at this point I’m not really sure it’s even possible to tip the scales back in the [...]