Quick Take
Among the precautions you can take right now to avoid coronavirus, keeping your immune system strong is more important than ever right now. One of the best ways to keep your immune system up? Continue to eat healthy plant-based foods. Worried about access fruits and vegetables right now? Here are some practical tips from the MamaSezz team on how to secure fresh local produce, even if grocery store is running low.
On this page
How to get a free bag of fresh greens from MamaSezz
7 ways to get fresh produce right now
Local farms
Farmer's markets
Natural markets and co-ops
Local restaurants
Search local instagram hashtags
Stay connected via Facebook groups
Check your town's website or downtown association
Key takeaways
Before we begin: Get a free bag of fresh greens with any MamaSezz Bundle
We want to ensure our community has access to fresh vegetables to enjoy alongside our ready-made meals. Order any MamaSezz bundle of ready-made meals and get a fresh bag of greens included with your delivery. All MamaSezz meals are fresh, ready to heat and eat, and can be stored in the fridge for 2 weeks or the freezer for 2 months.
Full Story
Whether your local grocery chains are running low or you’re worried about shopping at indoor markets, here are some of our practical tips for getting the produce you need while taking precautions to protect yourself and your community from Covid-19.
(Quick note: although seeing your grocery stores running low can be stressful, try to stay calm! Despite unprecedented demand, grocery chains continue to reassure consumers they're working hard with suppliers to restock quickly!)
7 ways to get fresh produce right now
1. Local farms
Go to the source! Many farms are keeping their farm stands open multiple times a week and some even every day. Rules and hours vary from farm to farm with some asking you call ahead with your orders, others leaving produce out and relying on honor system cash boxes. If you aren’t familiar with the local farm scene, no worries. Your best bet is to Google “farms near me” and then go to each farm’s Facebook or Instagram page for day-by-day updates of their specific plans, hours, and rules.
2. Farmer’s markets
Another great resource is your local farmer’s market. Check in with the website and/or social media of the nearest farmer’s market as they may be hosting pop-up markets throughout the week (many moving to outdoor spaces to stay safe) and will also be in-the-know regarding the local supply chain.
3. Visit natural markets and co-ops
While hunkering in is best for the safety of you and your community right now, grocery shopping is still necessary for many of us. While natural grocery stores may have less supply in general, their supply chain is often local which means these smaller independent stores may be able to re-stock more quickly than the larger grocery chains on fresh local produce. Not to mention you’ll be doing your part to support local businesses during this stressful economic time.
4. Local restaurants
If you live in a city and/pr it’s difficult to get to a farm or farmer’s market, you may want to turn to your local restaurant scene. While many of these places have stopped offering dine-in, they’re often still providing take-out services and some are even selling items they're able to buy in bulk (rice, oats, produce) directly to customers to help their community and keep their doors open. Again, hop on social media and look to your favorite restaurants’ Facebook and Instagram pages for day-to-day updates. And if you’re worried about going inside, you’ll find that many places are doing curb-side or parking lot pickup.
5. Search local instagram hashtags
Searching your #CityState on Instagram can be a great way to stay in the know on local happenings related to Covid-19, from produce availability to donation centers.
To search your local hashtags:
- Go to Instagram search and make sure to tap the “tags” tab
- Type in the name of your town or city (if you have a common town name, be sure to add the state, too -- for example SpringfieldMA or SpringfieldMass
- Click on the hashtag you want
- Go to the “Recents” tag to see most recent updates
- You can also follow the hashtag so recent updates will come into your feed
6. Stay connected in local Facebook groups
Just because we’re social distancing doesn’t mean we have to be completely isolated. Join a local Facebook group to get real-time updates from your community and ask questions re: produce availability, or anything else pertinent to your community right now. Many towns or cities have general groups for those who live there but you can also get more specific if you wish by joining local parent groups, vegan groups, etc.
7. Check your town's website or downtown association website
Your town's website most likely has coronavirus updates, including important closures and resources like impromptu farmer’s markets, food drives, etc. If your town has a downtown association, that’s another great place to look for any updates regarding produce availability amid Covid-19.
Reminder: MamaSezz will send free greens with any bundle order
Stock up on fresh ready-made meals from MamaSezz and get fresh greens with any bundle order. Stock up here.
Key Takeaways
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Grocery stores are working tirelessly to restock as fast as they can so if your store is out, try not to panic. More is likely on the way. But in the mean time...
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You can also try going to local farms, farmer's markets, natural food stores and co-ops, local restaurants, searching local hashtags, joining local Facebook groups, and checking with your town's website
- You can get fresh greens delivered with any MamaSezz bundle. Explore bundles here.
By Ali Brown
Ali is a nutrition and lifestyle writer and editor, with a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies.