I remember when Market Days at St. John of the Cross meant coming home stocked with normal-sized chicken breasts, frozen orange roughy, and boxes of mini Bagel Bites. Everything came in those flat, narrow cardboard boxes, and it was every stay-at-home mom’s dream: bulk food, fast solutions.
The motto? Fast and flavorless.
As kids, we loved a good Market Day pickup. There was something exciting about it… even if the food itself was admittedly a bit dull.
These days, Market Day looks and feels entirely different. It’s more vibrant, more intentional, and a whole lot cozier. We’ve traded cardboard boxes for cute canvas totes and air-conditioned gyms for white pop-up tents. Local farmers markets and French-style markets have taken a decidedly European turn, offering the freshest seasonal produce, hand-cut meats, fresh-caught fish, crusty breads, and the most golden-yolked farm eggs you’ve ever seen.
Over the years, La Grange and Western Springs have seriously upped their farmers market game. And if you’re not leaning into this simple pleasure, well… you’re not doing slow right.
If you follow me on Instagram, you already know I’m borderline obsessed with a good farmers market. Every Thursday, I make it a point to visit the La Grange Farmers Market, and I almost always share my haul.
My collapsible wagon—yes, wagon—comes with me every time. It rolls along beside me stocked with meats, fish, eggs, and whatever the earth is offering that week. I keep it tucked in my car along with a big reusable Mariano’s bag, and let me tell you: I pull that thing with pride. It’s functional, fabulous, and honestly, I might be the envy of the entire market.
Because here’s the thing: the market is meant to be savored. Pulling a wagon instead of schlepping bags elevates the experience—and that’s the whole point of this month’s column.
I want to inspire you to approach Market Day the way a European might: as an experience, not an errand.
Talk to the farmer.
Ask where the fish was caught or how the chickens are raised.
Try something you’ve never cooked before.
Better yet, go without a plan.
This is my favorite way to shop—let curiosity guide the meal. Pick what looks good, smells fresh, feels right. Then head home and, if you need help turning that bundle of asparagus and wedge of cheese into dinner, hit up ChatGPT. Bingo.
The joy of the farmers market is that it slows you down. It asks you to pause, make eye contact, maybe swap a recipe or two. It connects you with the people who grow your food, raise your meat, and bake your bread.
There’s something beautifully full circle about that. Something deeply human.
And in a world that feels like it’s constantly speeding up, that kind of connection might just be the most nourishing thing of all—and the perfect invitation to slow down.
I appreciate your readership.
Michelle
This article was originally written for Hillgrove Ave Magazine.
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