Zanesville Farmers Market Helps SNAP Shoppers Eat Fresh on a Budget

ZANESVILLE, OH- The Zanesville Farmers Market is working to make fresh, local food more accessible and affordable for everyone, including those using SNAP, EBT, Produce Perks, and WIC benefits.

The market accepts all of those programs, but many community members aren’t aware. That’s where Allie Murphy, SNAP Education Program Assistant with Ohio State University, steps in. She teaches low-income families how to stretch their benefits while eating healthy.

“So I have a food demonstration, I will be here the third Saturday every month, the goal is to utilize as much produce from the market as we can, so today I’ve got some sautéed veggies, I’ve got the snap peas, asparagus, and lettuce from the farmers market, I brought my own carrots, and we just had a veggie salad with some lemon vinaigrette,” said Murphy.

Murphy says making healthy choices doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. She works with families to teach strategies for cooking with fresh produce.

“I think it’s really important for people to understand that to eat healthy it doesn’t have to be gross, bland vegetables, and it doesn’t have to be expensive, a lot of times you think that to go to the store and get fruits and vegetables that it is going to cost you an arm and a leg, so it’s easier to just get some hamburger helper and call it a day, but that’s not necessarily the case,” said Murphy.

The Zanesville Farmers Market takes place every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Adornetto’s parking lot on Maple Avenue through the end of October. For more information, you can visit the Zanesville Farmers Market Facebook page.