Fresh Pasta – Shopping Local in Phoenix

Shopping Local from Home

 We have written about this subject before but can there ever be enough words written about the benefits of purchasing local and shopping at your neighborhood farmers markets, restaurants and family owned delis and grocery stores? With your support the demand has increased dramatically along with the number of producers. Today’s health concerns make us think twice about getting out of the house. It may not be our first choice but there are now several ways you can order and receive your favorites from the comfort of your home.

For over 5 years Pasta Rea has been producing family style meal packages and offering freshly made pastas and sauces all locally produced and distributed. For 24 years our local catering and parent company, Creations in Cuisine Catering has offered meal delivery and catering throughout the valley and surrounding towns. We are proud to be part of the support local movement and with the level of quality of our products and our unsurpassed customer service we are recognized  as one of the premier providers of meal delivery and catering services in Phoenix, Tucson, and northern Arizona. With that we wanted to share information on a growing trend, shopping local from home.

The Good Ol’ Days

Prior to COVID 19 your local Farmers Markets were not only a place to get great products, but it was also a social gathering of likeminded community members enjoying early morning social contact and conversations with friends, family, and vendors. If you were an early bird, you could be guaranteed the pick of the crop from your favorite produce stand and avoid disappointment if one if your favorite venders were to sellout. Even with a late morning arrival you could still find a hot, fresh brewed coffee or one of those delicious breakfast burritos or fresh pastries that are offered at almost every market we visit. It is also a great opportunity to spend time with your beloved pet.  Most markets are pet friendly and  are a great place for your pet to stretch its legs, (of course if the pavement isn’t too hot) and if they behaved maybe they could get a special treat from the pet friendly vendors. It is certainly a challenge now to be able to enjoy the things we have become accustomed to, but you can still shop local and continue your support.

Fresh & Local Products “Beet” the Competion

Before we tell you how and where you can get your Arizona favorites delivered market to door, lets talk about the benefits of shopping local. Items made locally obviously have less mileage to travel to get to your location. This helps to preserve the taste, quality, and freshness. You will mostly likely find fresher green beans, strawberries, and tomatoes then the ones sitting on a grocery store shelf and you will notice a huge difference in the taste. Hey, we all must purchase food, clothes, soaps, and at times splurge on a nice gift for yourself or a loved one so why not spend that money locally? Keeping the money “in the family” helps support the community and or local framers who may have a greater need then a large corporation. You may agree with me as I say that variety is the spice of life. You can easily find a new and creative spice blend at the market, but you also must be open to trying new food items with ethnic backgrounds you may have never heard of or tired before.

Feeding the family is easer too as the food vendors have recognized the need for meal delivery and catering and have created many different meal packages to feed 2, 4 or 6. Finding a handcrafted, one of a kind cutting board, piece of jewelry or art is not uncommon and could be the added bling you have been searching for. You are now probably real anxious to get to market but still concerned with the current health situation or may not have the time or resources to get there each week. Here are a few suggestions on how you can shop local from home.

 #Supportlocal #Shoplocal

Uptown Farmers Market / Gather Arizona ~ Offering curbside pick up and home delivery. Their vendor list keeps on growing so check back often to see who is new or to stay up on what your favorite vendor has on special. It is also important to know they have home delivery in refrigerated vehicles year-round so there will not be a concern about freshness or temperature control, perfect for meal delivery and catering orders. Markets hours vary by season, you can find current hours and other important information by visiting: https://uptownmarketaz.com/ Place a curbside pick up or delivery order easily online by visiting: https://gatherazexpress.com/

Humanity Hub ~ We are excited to see this come to not only the Phoenix area but Tucson as well. There are many high quality locally produced products and markets in Tucson and now conveniently we can experience both. Humanity Hub is scheduled to roll out in a few months but why wait, get on their list today, all the information you need can be found at: https://humanityhubnetwork.org/

Your Farm Foods ~ One of the first to offer online ordering and home delivery. Your Farm Foods works with a large variety of suppliers and sponsors educational events with information on healthy and nutritious food sources. This is a Chandler based business committed to providing locally grown food, farm to table, market to door with a focus on local products. Visit https://yourfarmfoods.com/to learn more!

With so many options, there is no reason not to take advantage of farm fresh locally produced goods in Phoenix.