How to Shop at a Downtown Farmers Market

Step 3 Get cash

I'm not a morning person, I work late a lot, I tend to have a lot of lunch meetings or eat at my desk while working and I'm lazy, so I've found that the best time for me to go to the market is during lunch. If I've made it an appointment on my calendar, I'm more likely to eat lunch near the market and then shop. Or I'll schedule a lunch meeting near the market and shop after the meeting. The market at the Civic Center in San Francisco also features a few great food trucks -- tamales, falafel and roti -- which are delicious and cheap lunch options. Most markets have places nearby to sit and eat, so you won't be left standing with your tamale on the corner.

Farmers markets are made up of lots of small vendors from various local farms, creameries and bakeries, so they mostly take cash. That means that, if you aren't carrying cash (which I tend not to), then the first thing you should do when you leave your office is to get some cash from an ATM.

Definitely eat before you shop so that you aren't tempted to overbuy out of hunger. Though it doesn't hurt to skip desert at your lunch place in the expectation of buying a cookie or box of fresh strawberries at the market. But go early enough that you can get the best at the booths.

And don't forget to bring your canvas/plastic/mega bag that you packed that morning.