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Cooking on a College Student’s Budget

August 29, 2017 By marketeditor

 

By Courtney Kramer

I spent the summer of 2017 as a Saratoga Farmers’ Market intern. Before that point, I had no experience whatsoever with farmers’ markets. However, I did have an innate passion for fresh meals with locally grown produce.

As a result, I came to the internship with a desire to learn how to cook better for myself and to use farmers’ markets as at least one of my sources for fresh, locally produced food.

But I knew very little about how farmers’ markets operated. I did have a lot of questions:

  • Would every stand sell fruits and vegetables?
  • Would each week bring different vendors?
  • How would non-cash transactions be handled?
  • What would happen if it rained?

I got some answers to these questions through my internship. But I also learned something more important. I learned how to cook, easily and quickly, and most importantly on the budget of a 20-year-old college student.

My grandmother is Italian. I lived seven doors away from her my entire life. I grew up with home-cooked Italian meals featuring fresh zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers along with spicy sausages and pasta.

On my own as a college student, I came to realize how much those fresh Italian dinners spoiled me. In college, I can eat in the college cafeteria or cook in my apartment. The latter option is more appealing, but time also matters: there’s school work, extracurriculars, and a social life. What could I do to cook quickly, easily and on a budget?

Broccoli from Humiston’s Vegetables, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Working for the Saratoga Farmers’ Market gave me answers to those questions. I spoke with farmers, Cornell Cooperative Extension food experts, volunteers and customers who are experts on how to use fresh produce well. A few go-to ingredients that I’ll bring back to college with me:

  • Spinach (or any other cooking green): Whether you steam it or cream it as a side dish, put it on a sandwich, wilt it into pasta, it’s flavorful, colorful and nutritious.
  • Zucchini: These massive summer squashes are the most versatile veggies around. Use them as an appetizer, a side, an entrée, or dessert. They also pair well with tomatoes.
  • Broccoli: I can bake it, steam it, or saute it in minutes.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through October at High Rock Park. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Filed Under: Featured Article, News Tagged With: Broccoli, Budget, College, Cooking, Internship, Recipes, Saratoga Farmers' Market, Spinach, Student, Zucchini

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Have you ever made Linzer cookies? Check out this Have you ever made Linzer cookies?  Check out this recipe at the site and then plan to wander over to the market this weekend for some farm fresh eggs, perpetual vanilla and jams before you get started baking these delicious bites...
https://www.saratogafarmersmarket.org/linzer-cookies-2/
#saratogafarmersmarket #saratogafarmersmarket🔆 #linzercookies❤️ #farmfreshproducts
We hope you will join us for our holiday artist fa We hope you will join us for our holiday artist fair this weekend! 
Local artists will be joining our amazing vendors for one week only!
#saratogafarmersmarket #saratogafarmersmarket🔆 #holidayartistfair #localartistfair
Do you live in the City of Saratoga Springs? If y Do you live in the City of Saratoga Springs?  If you do please vote for us to become part of this special city funding so that we can add a Fresh Tent to our Market. 
This funding will allow us to provide a FRESH TENT that will include not just the supplies to make it happen, but taste testings and recipes for the community, education for children and a $2 coupon when we host the Fresh Tent which will be for 8 weeks in duration.
We need your support to make this happen and appreciate everyone who takes the time to vote for the Saratoga Farmers' Market.
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We are here today! Amazing music … fantastic ve We are here today!  Amazing music … fantastic vendors … added crafters … and we’re here until 1:30!
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