For many of us, it’s a challenge to eat five servings of fruits or vegetables every day, and winter doesn’t make it easier.
Gone are the warm days when you can pick a perfect tomato from your own vine or choose from a huge variety of berries and leafy greens in the produce aisle.
The play of supply and demand in a free market means that fresh produce is harder to find in the winter and is more expensive. But never fear. You can buy high quality vegetables for extremely low prices at pop-up produce stands sponsored by Hunger Free Dallas County.
These stands “pop up” on a regular basis as a source of fresh and affordable produce. Stand locations are targeted at communities without a grocery store — commonly called food deserts — but anyone can purchase produce at the stands, even folks from towns rich in sources for fresh, nutritious foods.
The schedule for pop-up produce stands for the mid-winter months has been released. All stands are open 4-6 p.m.
- De Soto Library: Tuesdays – Jan. 7, Feb. 4
- Dallas Center Library: Wednesdays – Jan. 8, Feb. 5
- Minburn Legion Hall: Tuesdays – Jan. 14, Feb. 11
- Redfield City Hall: Wednesdays – Jan. 15, Feb. 12
Examples of the bargains at pop-up produce stands include three nice tomatoes for 50 cents, two huge bell peppers for 75 cents, grapefruit for 50 cents each and bananas at 25 cents each.
Ann Cochran is the health navigation coordinator in the Dallas County Public Health Department.
