On your next trip to “The Farm” be sure to pick up one of our reusable shopping bags. They’re a great way to shop eco-friendly and can hold an abundance of fresh, seasonal food. They’re practical and easy to clean. Not to mention, eating fresh foods is always in style. So be sure to pick one up today and grab one for a friend.

Kick the cans this year!

A new year inspires a fresh start; especially with the foods we feed our bodies. Dieting trends come and go, but simply getting back to nature will always be the best nutritional approach to health which promotes weight control and disease prevention. Even some popular diets (i.e., Paleo, Clean Eating) promote whole foods that are closest to their natural state over pre-packaged, processed and fast foods. The concept is simple: eat like our ancestors, before the modern diet of refined foods and unnatural fats, which are major culprits in obesity and degenerative diseases like diabetes and heart diseases. Freshfields Farm is the ideal place for fresh, whole, superior foods at affordable prices. Follow these tips when shopping fresh for your best health:

Fill your cart with:

• Foods with little/ no processing: those which are perishable within a week or so, with very few ingredients. A once-a-week stocking of the refrigerator with a monthly stocking up on dry goods is the most healthful way to shop. The following foods should make up the majority of your daily diet:
  • Lean meats, poultry and seafood: great sources of protein, B vitamins, iron and healthy fats. Look closely at your labels. For instance, Freshfields Farm offers Farm fresh chicken with no water or sodium “enhancements” added
  • Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables like grapes, pomegranates and blueberries and greens like spinach, kale and collards, which offer disease prevention. Use our Colors of Health in-store signage to determine the specific health benefits of each color.
  • Healthy fats such as avocados, fish, nuts and seeds: promote healthy cholesterol levels.

• Seasonal Produce: For instance, in winter months, citrus, collards, cherries, and asparagus, just to name some.

• Natural Detoxifiers: Incorporate produce that naturally helps rid your body of toxins including grapefruit, beets, lemons, limes, garlic, artichokes, broccoli, ginger, red radish and apples.

Try keeping your refrigerator and fruit bowls stocked with fresh items instead of your pantry stocked with processed foods with long ingredient lists, and see how much better you look and feel this year!

So, what’s the beef on ‘Local’ anyway? A hot topic, the awareness of local foods continues to climb an exponential slope. So, why all the interest? Is it all just a marketing ploy by nearby farmers? How do you define “Local” anyway?  While definitions vary, we use the definition acknowledged by the USDA, which points to any product that’s transported less than 400 miles from its origin.  That’s also about one day’s drive. What’s within 400 miles of you? Grassfed beef? Peaches? Cage-free eggs?  Citrus?  Well, that depends on where you are and, for many items, the growing season.
It’s easy to see what items are local while you’re at the Farm.  Any item with a red sign is one of our “Local Picks.”  If you’re curious what Local Picks are in-store before you shop, check your Jacksonville or Orlando store’s online Live Market Board, which highlights current local items at the bottom.

Our team of buyers searches the marketplace 12 hours a day, 7 days a week looking for the highest quality products available.  So, you can be confident that our Local Picks are top notch – not a sub-par item that was selected solely because of where it was grown.  We don’t just support local farmers; we support local farmers doing excellent work.  It’s how we ensure we live up to our mission of bringing you the finest quality, freshest meat and produce at a great value.