The Saturday Fresh Market is your go-to weekend destination and to help you organise your next shop, we’ve come up with the following tried and tested helpful hints.
For those first time visitors, if you don’t plan out your morning, you could end up going home with much more produce than you bargained for, only to have it wilt in the fridge in the days ahead.
Tip 1: Arrive at open, or not long before close
We know, you’re baulking at waking up at the crack of dawn to enter the Sherwood Road gates at 6am on the dot. However, there is method to our madness.
If you arrive at the very start of the day, you do not have to contend with the crowd that usually forms by 8.30am and continues past 10am. You can take your time wandering through the stalls, checking out what is on offer before making any decisions.
Another bonus of arriving early is that you have the pick of the best and freshest produce, and will have the opportunity to shop for popular items before they sell out.
If you arrive later in the day, you may not be able to find every item on your list, but you will have cheaper produce. Our fruit and veg stallholders would much rather sell what they have than pack it all back up again. Arrive at the Saturday Fresh Market at 11am and shop for those end-of-day bargains like there’s no tomorrow!
Tip 2: Plan your shopping trip
Not to disparage spontaneous shopping, but it can result in wasted money and wasted food. Plan ahead of time what meals you would like to eat during the week, and craft your shopping list around these products.
You won’t end up walking away with ten cucumbers and struggling to incorporate them into your meal plan for the week (no judgement if you do eat ten ten cucumbers a week, that was just an example).
Tip 3: Don’t be afraid to impulse buy
Yeah, we know this is contradictory. However, you just have to make allowances for produce that is in season a little bit before you expected, or a late harvest of pineapples. Use these Saturday Fresh Market surprises as little treats when you’re cooking during the week.
Tip 4: Know what’s in season and how much you should be paying
Buying in-season can help you save a lot on your fresh produce. For example, avocados are now available most of the year round so say hello to avo on toast.
You can read up about what’s in season in autumn and winter on our blog or sites like news.brisbanemarkets.com.au are invaluable resources for staying up to date with what produce is on its way in and out of Queensland, and the best time to buy.
Tip 5: Get cashed up
While there are some exceptions, you’ll find most stallholders at the Saturday Fresh Market have eftpos available, but having cash on hand can be helpful. Local legends ATM2Go have ATM pods set up at the eastern pedestrian entry and near the Food Court.
Also, make sure you have some small change on hand. Some of the smaller purchases you make will be a cinch if you can give the stallholder the correct change, not to mention that they will remember you as a good customer.
Tip 6: Arrive hungry
Skip breakfast at home on Saturday morning. You’re coming to the Saturday Fresh Market anyway, so why wouldn’t you try the smorgasbord of food on offer? There’s loads of different coffee joints you can try, and heaps of breakfast options from around the world. Take your tastebuds to a different continent on a weekly basis.
Do try to eat before you do the grocery shopping part though – everyone knows you overbuy when you’re hungry, and you’ll need the stamina for the adventure to come!
Tip 7: Invest in some wheels
And by wheels, we mean of course a market trolley, of course. Once you’ve taken the leap, you’ll wonder how you ever did you market shop without a lightweight and manoeuvrable trolley. You won’t be scared to buy in bulk with one of these babies!
Even if you don’t buy enough to warrant a trolley, definitely aim to BYO bags and baskets. A nice reusable bag is much more durable than any plastic bag, and much better for the environment too!
