School is about to begin in Nassau County, Florida, and the Fernandina Beach Market Place farmers market has some great ideas for making fresh and tasty lunches and after-school snacks.
Looking for gluten-free? Dee, with Something Good, whips up fresh baked breads, sweet breads, and desserts twice a month to bring to the farmers market that are so good, your kids will never guess they are eating healthy.
Mix up egg salad or shrimp salad with yard eggs from Boatright’s, Natural Springs, and King’s, and dice up some wild caught shrimp from Chesser Seafood and you’ll have a ready-to-go, healthy sandwich spread for those hectic school mornings.
Rudy brings amazing fresh baked breads from his family business, Maria’s Bakery. Top your favorite with spicy pimento cheese spread from Lulu’s and a thick slice of tomato from King’s Kountry Produce, or try the salmon spread from Upstream Salmon and a slice of Vidalia onion from Boatright’s Farm for a sandwich loaded with flavor.
Blue Planet Organic has several nut butters and flat breads to pair up for a truly organic lunch, and her flavored sunflower seeds, and dried fruits make tasty, healthy snacks, too.
Mix and match your own vegetable and dip selections from seasonal veggies of all varieties that are available from our produce vendors and Simply Savory’s variety of dips packets to make your favorite dip flavor, fresh at home.
For another healthy addition to lunch, try the Amish popcorn, now available weekly at the Market Place. And Joy of Garlic now brings amazing, low sodium tortilla chips to pair with their all natural salsas. Their new spicy mango salsa is my favorite!
Another after school snack idea could include crostinis from Bottega by Liz Catering lightly smothered with any of the authentic hummus flavors from Olive My Pickle. Try their Cilantro lemon, jalapeno garlic, and sun-dried tomato. They also offer a black bean hummus, and an original tahini hummus made without chick peas.
Desserts are in abundance at the farmers market, too, with Tucker’s homemade Topsy Toffee, cupcakes and cookies from Nana Teresa’s Bakery, and of course, watermelon, blackberries, peaches, cantaloupes, and other fresh fruits available from the four produce vendors.
August 13th also marks the return of the Fernandina Beach Arts Market. This is a unique offering of about 20 local arts and craft booths manned by talented members of our community. The Arts Market is only open on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. (For more information, please visit FernandinaBeachArtsMarket.com.)
Both markets are open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., rain or shine, and are located on North Seventh Street, between Alachua and Centre, in historic, downtown Fernandina Beach.
Music is provided by the talented Spanish guitarist Dennis Fermin, and your well-behaved, leashed pets are always welcome.
