When people talk of visiting the Farmer’s Market they don’t often exclaim over its cheapness. More usually you hear grumbling and groaning over the prices, so much more expensive than the supermarket, is it actually worth the money…

All opinions aside over whether it really is that much more expensive, I am here to offer the market through another lens – my Scottish thrifty lens. My Scottish thrifty lens is an inheritance from a long line of thrifty Scots. When it comes to sniffing out a deal or using the very last drop of dish soap, few do it better than the Scottish.  So if you are heading towards the market, make sure to keep your eyes out for these smokin’ early spring deals.

1) Apples – In Vancouver, apples are a fall fruit. They are at their peak as the air crisps up, signalling the oncoming winter. So the spring is the best time to find deals on apples. They have been in cold storage and aren’t at the height of crunchiness but who says you have to only eat apples raw. Stock up on big bags of apples and make apple sauce, apple pie, apple chutney, etc. etc. I found big bags of certified organic apples for only $5 bucks!