Break out your tote bags and grocery carts, and prepare to head into battle. No, we’re not talking anything violent here, but the competition is fierce and the crowds are packed. So get ready to bring your A game, because we’re heading into the eye of the storm. This is…Saturday morning at Haymarket.
Located on and around Union and Blackstone Streets to the side of Fanieul Hall, Haymarket is where fruit and vegetable vendors come to sell their goods in a setting that can’t be described as elegant. There’s significant garbage, and yelling is par for the course. Haymarket is not your neighborhood Whole Foods, filled with diverse cashiers smiling while encouraging you to buy re-usable tote bags and magazines about how to incorporate yoga into your life. But if you’re looking to save money like we are, Haymarket is the place to be.
Prices vary by each stand, but it’s easy to find deals such as 6 oranges for $2, or 5 apples for $2. Fruits such as raspberries and blueberries run a little bit more expensive, but by expensive we mean probably $4 for a large container. If you’re looking to buy a crate of something like mangos, of course the prices are going to get higher. But when you compare it to grocery store prices, it’s practically a steal.
If you’re willing to get yourself out of bed in the early hours of Saturday morning, then you definitely have the pick of the litter. That’s when the produce is at its freshest, and choices are more diverse. But then again, the earlier you go, the more you’ll be paying. If you want to wait until late in the afternoon when they’re preparing to shut down, you can probably find significant deals even lower than those we mentioned above, but you’re running the risk of having lower quality items to choose from. Either way, stay in the loop when buying your fruit, and head to Haymarket.
Map of Haymarket Area [Google Maps]
[Photo: Megan Johnson]
