With holidays upon us and limited daylight hours, it is easy to let our healthy habits slip away as we cozy up inside.
It can help to have a little extra encouragement to get outside and break up that routine. One enticing excuse we can rely on throughout this season is the Downtown SLO Farmer’s Market. Not only will you work in your exercise strolling down the street, dancing to the live tunes, and perhaps incorporating a workout to and from Downtown, you can also be inspired by the healthy foods that are at the core of the market.
We are so fortunate to live here on the Central Coast where our dedicated farmers show up for the Downtown SLO Farmer’s Market to bring us vast amounts of fresh produce throughout the year. It is no secret that farming requires a truly committed work ethic, especially to make it through the cooler months. According to an interview with Avila & Sons Farm, a common workday begins at 5:00 am and continues long into the evening until 8:00 pm. On days of Farmer’s Markets, the owner Dave Avila reported that they may put in as much as 20 hours of work to bring us a special selection from their farm.
For all of the farmers who come to the Downtown SLO Farmer’s Market, their hard work is evident just walking by the farm stands on Higuera Street. Though the aroma of BBQ may steal one of your senses, the natural beauty of winter squash, beets, carrots, chards, 
and sweet potatoes can easily capture your eyes and make for wonderful ingredients for a warm winter soup. For those of us still clinging to our sweet tooth from the holidays, farmers such as Gary Billington offer sweets that feel like dessert without the guilt and even provide healthy benefits to boot. Medjool and Deglet Noor are just two of the varieties of dates Gary brings and a couple of his specialties include date-nut rolls and date pieces rolled in oat flour.
Right alongside our farmers are our food vendors and restaurants that incorporate many of these ingredients on their menus. Be reminded of the many ways healthy food can taste so delicious by visiting vendors such as Bliss Cafe, which operates a booth in front of their Downtown restaurant. They offer comforting entrees such as their delicious vegan curry or Stromboli’s and both are sure to warm you up from the inside out. Another healthy option with a global flare is brought to the market by Novo, which is owned and operated at the heart of Downtown. Novo prides itself on a passion for pulling inspiration from locally grown produce as it changes with the seasons, while bringing flavors from around the world.
Though many of us rely on the New Year to bring inspiration to be healthier, remember that the Downtown SLO Farmer’s Market is here for you year round. There is no better way to maintain healthy habits than to find a way to enjoy them. The uplifting atmosphere of the market can be that link to a healthier lifestyle any time of the year.
