Creating a healthy lifestyle for your family includes eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. One of the best ways to ensure that the produce you eat is fresh and locally sourced is by shopping at local farmers markets. Not only can you bring home tote bags full of vegetables, herbs, and flowers, but you can usually bring home freshly baked goods, homemade jams and jellies, and fun gifts that you can share with friends and family.

Our team at Crème de la Crème of Peoria has put together a list of six farmers markets to shop at in the Peoria, Arizona, area so you can continue eating fresh, healthy foods.

Glendale Farmers Market

Image via Flickr by twistedstringknits Licensed CC BY 2.0

One of the fun things about visiting the Glendale Farmers Market is that you get to meet new vendors every week along with the regulars. Not only can you pick up your week’s worth of fresh produce, flowers, and baked goods, but you’ll also find vendors that sell a variety of food items. Stock up on local honey, freshly made pasta, meats, dairy items, and even treats for your dogs. In addition, you can pick up homemade pies, jams and jellies, zesty spices, and teas for any occasion.

When looking for gifts, stop by the artisan booths to find a variety of handcrafted products that you can share with friends and family. You won’t go hungry at the Glendale Farmers Market, either, with several food trucks and concession stands serving up beverages, hot meals, and lots of sweet treats.

Location: Cabela’s at 9380 W. Glendale Ave.

Days and Hours: September through May, Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Peoria Farmers Market

Honey Hive Farms is open year-round, but on Saturdays, you can pick up fresh produce and home-baked goods at the Peoria Farmers Market held on the property. You’ll find a variety of vendors selling fresh local produce, freshly cut flowers, and prepared foods. In addition, you’ll want to stock up on several flavors of honey from Honey Hive Farms.

Location: 14611 N. 83rd Ave. at Honey Hive Farms in Peoria

Days and Hours: Saturdays from 10 a.m. to closing

Tempe Farmers Market

You can pick up fresh goodies, prepared foods, and handcrafted beers every day of the week when you stop by the Tempe Farmers Market. This unique market carries local Arizona-grown produce and has a variety of products from different vendors and businesses throughout the Peoria and Tempe area. Pick up gluten-free baked goods and pasta, sip on an organic smoothie, stock up on fair-trade coffees and teas, and then eat a hot panini to satisfy your hunger.

Are you looking for handcrafted gifts made by local Arizona artisans? You can find wonderful items to share, including jams, jellies, and honey. You’ll also find Arizona-grown dates, cheeses from local dairies, and fresh and dried lavender from Pine Creek Lavender Farm.

Location: 805 S. Farmer Ave. in Tempe

Days and Hours: Daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Downtown Mesa Farmers Market

The Downtown Mesa Farmers Market is a non-profit organization that strives to bring the community of Mesa together and to offer people fresh, reasonably priced produce and other food items. Fill your farmers market basket or tote bag with produce offered by the Sun Produce Co-op, which is a group of local farmers bringing their sustainably grown goods to you. If you’re looking for vegan-grown produce, visit the Eco Suburbia vendor booth.

Your furry friend will enjoy biscuits and snacks from Smokin’ Treats, and kids of all ages can have a sweet treat from Eis Cafe. Find handcrafted jewelry, clothing, and more at Kayla & Co, and fill your pantry with bread from Noble Bread.

Learn more about how to turn your food scraps into compost when you stop by the R. City Farmland for the Future booth. All of the collected food scraps they pick up throughout the Phoenix valley go into making compost for their organic produce.

One great way to show your kids how to incorporate fresh foods into meals is by signing them up for a kid’s cooking class in the Mesa area.

Location: 1 E. Main St, at the Mesa Arts Center

Days and Hours: Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m.

Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market

As part of the Arizona Community Farmers Market Association, you can find lots of fresh produce and ranch-grown meats at the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market. Spend your Saturday stocking up on locally grown organic produce, colorful flowers, seasonal fruits, and fragrant honey. You’ll also find naturally raised meat, fresh fish, free-range eggs, and artisan bread. You can also get spicy tamales, homemade jams and jellies, and freshly pressed apple cider when in season.

Location: 3806 N. Brown Ave. in Scottsdale

Days and Hours: Saturdays 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wigwam Farmers Market

Head over to the Wigwam Resort on Sundays to purchase Producers Only products found at the Wigwam Farmers Market. To help maintain the integrity and authenticity of what a local farmers market should be, only foods that are grown and produced locally are sold here. You’ll find seasonal produce here as well as meats grown on local ranches.

You can also pick up garden starters and seedlings, artisan bread, and handcrafted gifts as well as have access to the Community Supported Agriculture boxes that are available seasonally through Duncan Family Farms and Tonopah Rob’s Vegetable Farm. Visiting the Wigwam Farmers Market is a great way to support local farmers, ranchers and artisans in a fun and socializing way.

Location: 300 E. Wigwam Blvd. at the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park

Days and Hours: Sundays from 9:30 a.m. through 1:30 p.m.

All of us at Crème de la Crème of Peoria hope you come home from the farmers markets with lots of fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, and handmade gifts. Which farmers market is your favorite and why? What is your favorite seasonal product to bring home? If there’s a hidden gem of a farmers market that we missed, feel free to let us know, and we’ll add your recommendation to our list.