5 Favorite Farmers Markets in San Francisco…and What’s in Season

Guest Post By Hanna Rifkin

Whether your 2016 resolution is to feel better, lose weight, or just be more awesome, eating quality fruits and vegetables can help you with that goal.  I’m a registered dietitian and farmers market enthusiast here in San Francisco, and I’m going to tell you what’s in season, where to get it, and how you don’t really have any good excuses not to go.

The Farmers Market Will Improve Your Life!

In Season Now (winter):

pomegranate, oranges, grapefruit, mandarins, lemons, persimmons, tangerines, apples, cabbage, arugula, beets, bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, various herbs, chard, onions, scallions, spinach, sprouts.

My favorite farmers markets in San Francisco (all offer organic)

1. Alemany, (100 Alemany Blvd) Saturdays 6 am – 2pm

  Best prices + most beautiful produce.  Pomegranates were abundant last week.

2. Civic Center, Wednesdays and Sundays, 7am – 5pm

        Everything, including chinese greens, $1/pound is common.  Honey for sale, samples galore.

3. Noe Valley, (24th st.) Saturday 8am – 1pm

         Places to sit. Bring a friend and eat fresh tamales, buy artichokes for dinner.

4. Crocker Galleria (downtown, 50 Post St ) Thursdays, 11am – 3 pm

          Go on your lunch break, and look how healthy you are now!

5. Mission/22^nd st Thursdays, 4pm – 8 pm

           The usual excellent produce vendors, plus tasty baked goods, and live music.

List of Excuses you might have

This stuff is expensive.

Farmers markets don’t charge sales tax, and cost per pound is usually around $2-$5.  If you go at the end of the day, discounts are offered.

It’s January, and I’m so lonely!

Welcome to the club.  Want to impress a lady?  Tell her about your farmers market trip or- better yet- send photos of your goods.  She will dig it.

I don’t know about these fruits and vegetables; where do they all come from?

Items from the farmers market come directly from a farm, so they’re at their freshest (1-3 days old).  At the grocery store, middlemen are used, so the produce sits around in various warehouses and could be 10 or so days old before it gets to you.  Because the items from a farmers market were picked more recently, they’ll last longer in your fridge, have higher nutritive quality, and taste better.  Basically, they are better.

What ever will I do with all the stuff I buy?

Any vegetable chopped up + extra virgin olive oil + salt + garlic, then roasted at 400 F will taste great.  Fruit can be brought to work, and when you get bored or cranky, you can eat it.

I’m scared, will you hold my hand?

We are all creatures of habit.  I’m scared to go to an automobile supply store.  Start small just get some coffee and an apple the first time you go.  Coffee and apples are good for you.

I don’t have time for this.

Make it happen.  This is your health, and taking care of it will translate into other successes throughout your life.  You are well worth the effort!

Who is this lady and why is she trying to tell me what to eat?

I’m a Registered Dietitian, and it is my humble opinion that getting into this habit will actually improve your life.  I’m also a jazz singer and have a show at Doc’s Lab Thursday, January 28^th.  See my jazz at hannarifkin.com, like my nutrition page on facebook.