Check out tips to save at the fair and also find out where to buy organic

Buying food at farmers’ markets has several advantages. In addition to saving, you buy directly from those who produce, encourage family farming, talk to the market and get tips on food and even take home a fresh product.

Those who opt for organic, food grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides, have a number of options at fairs. Idec (Brazilian Institute for Consumer Protection) updated this week the collaborative map of organic fairs in the country. There are more than 400 options for those looking for healthier foods, most of them in the Southeast of Brazil.

Check out some tips to save when you go to the fair!

1. Pay attention to the schedule

At organic fairs, it is best to go early. In smaller quantities, products tend to run out quickly. At common fairs, it is possible to take advantage of the “xepa”. Because they have products in abundance, the closer to the closing time of the fair, the greater the chance of getting a good discount with the stallholders who do not want to return home with food.

2. The location also changes the price

The neighborhood in which the fair is located can also influence the price. Normally, the noblest can have an increase in the value of food. Evaluate whether it’s not worth taking a little distance from home to guarantee a smaller bill at the end of the fair.

3. Make a list

The color, the abundance, the offers, all of this can be a temptation to buy more. Make a list of what you really need, as taking too much, in addition to being more expensive, can leave food spoiling in the fridge if you can’t handle the extras.

4. Don’t be lazy

Walk, search, ask and haggle. Food is often more expensive at the beginning of the fair and cheaper at the stalls at the back, where few people usually go.

5. Give preference to seasonal foods

Bananas, lemons, apples and oranges are basically available all year round at the fair, however other fruits and vegetables have specific harvest times. When it is in the “season” of a certain food, its availability is greater and, consequently, the price is lower.