Farmers' Market Box Basics

I’ve picked up this box—now what do I do with it?

Opening a big box full of fresh fruits and vegetables can be intimidating: not knowing what to expect, how and where to store them, and deciding what to make using them. While these are valid concerns, the immediate satisfaction of consuming seasonal produce is worth it.

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I was offered the opportunity to test a fall farmers’ market box from Specialty Produce and couldn’t resist. Here’s my step-by-step guide to maximizing a fall produce box, plus a few tips and recipes from a veggie-loving home chef.

The most obvious thing you will do when you first bring home your farmers’ market box is open it. I must warn you though, you may be in for a sensory overload. Clear a space on your counter or kitchen table and pull out what’s inside. I like to separate my fruits from my veggies, then group them by what I know will likely spoil quickly. That’s how I determine what type of dish to make first.

I check my refrigerator and pantry, and I know that I (almost) always have eggs, a loaf of bread, butter, extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, fresh herbs from the garden, and some good cheese. Keeping as many of these staples on hand as possible makes it easier to create diverse dishes. With these staples, I can plan to make at least three dishes with the ingredients in my farmers’ market box: a frittata, bruschetta, and a glorious salad. The produce in these three recipes can be swapped out depending on the season and what’s included in your farm box.

If I know what produce I’m not using immediately, I take the time to properly store it. I heed the advice of my rarely wasteful mom, who frequently reminds me, “never in plastic.” Fortunately, one benefit of purchasing a farmers’ market box is that your produce is not packaged in a lot of plastic. I wait to wash my produce until I’m ready to use it and wrap items in either paper towels or clean kitchen towels, keeping certain things refrigerated as needed until I’m ready to cook with them. I find once produce is washed, the countdown clock to eat it starts ticking.

When it’s time to wash the produce, don’t be alarmed if it’s quite dirty and comes with a few bugs or stowaways as I like to call them. To conserve water, I typically fill a large bowl or side of my sink and let certain produce, like lettuce, carrots, and potatoes, soak for three to five minutes. I use my hands to scrub off the dirt as best I can, and I often have to repeat soaking up to three times to completely clean the produce. If you’re lucky enough to have carrots in your farm box, consider not peeling them; a lot of nutrients are found in the skin of produce, which is something to keep in mind about edible skin fruits and veggies such as apples, carrots, and persimmons.

Once cut and washed, I store any leftover produce in glass jars or containers with a paper towel at the bottom to catch excess moisture.

I organize my produce not only by what dishes I make, but also by what makes a good healthy snack. I like to have items like fresh fruit or carrots washed and accessible. A bowl filled with fruit on your counter is beautiful, but when your produce is next to each other, it will all spoil sooner. The fall in San Diego can be toasty, so if your house gets warm, relocate your produce to the fridge.

Though summer is always touted as a fabulous season for fresh produce, let’s not underestimate the delights of the fall season and the bountiful produce that comes with it.