FRESH FOOD ON A BUDGET

Farmers markets are convenient local marketplaces where everyone in the community is invited to shop for a wide variety of fresh foods right in your own neighborhood. No matter your budget, farmers markets are often where to find the best value on a wide range of foods you might be used to buying at a grocery store, from fresh produce to eggs, meat, and baked goods.

  • Get the most value. Farms and food producers offer the freshest, highest-quality, most nutrient-rich foods at farmers markets. That means your fruit and vegetables will stay fresher longer — so you get the most for your money.
  • Find seasonal deals. Farmers often have an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables during the height of their growing season, and will offer the lowest prices when you buy from them directly.
  • Know your food. Buying from the source not only helps local farms and food businesses survive, it means you get to talk with the folks who actually grow and make your food — and get insider tips on sales, recipes, and more!
  • Double your SNAP. If you use SNAP/EBT, you get DOUBLE the spending power at the farmers market with Bonus Bucks!

Use SNAP/EBT, WIC, and Senior Farmers Market Checks at RI Farmers Markets

SNAP/EBT

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, is the nation's largest program for fighting domestic hunger. Federally funded and state administered, SNAP helps low-income individuals and families by providing monthly benefits to buy food.

Find a farmers market near you.
There are 40+ seasonal farmers markets across RI, and more than half accept SNAP. The Local Food Guide is a tool for finding locally grown food near you. Click here to see all the RI farmers markets that accept SNAP/EBT.

How to shop at the farmers market
Simply bring your Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to the market's Welcome Table and swipe for any amount. In exchange, you will get Fresh Bucks tokens to spend with vendors. The tokens never expire and can be used on SNAP-eligible grocery items at any participating farmers market. And for every dollar you spend, you'll get a FREE dollar in Bonus Bucks!

WIC & Senior Checks

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Services and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program are government-run programs that can help make shopping for fresh, local food more affordable.

Find a farmers market near you.
The Local Food Guide is a tool for finding locally grown food near you. Find RI farmers markets that accept:

How to shop at the farmers market
It's easy! Just spend your WIC and senior checks directly with market vendors.

Consider the fact that although many supermarkets carry local produce, much of what you find at stores has been transported 1200 miles, on average. Produce at farmers markets is often picked ripe and sold within a day. That translates into fresher, more nutritious food because the vitamins and other nutrients haven’t had time to break down.

— Lauri Wright, Ph.D., R.D.N, assistant professor of nutrition at the University of North Florida (Wadyka, S. "Farmers Market Produce: Local vs. Organic," Consumer Reports, July 12, 2018.)