Photo by Samuel-Cristophe Tedjasukmana, Courtsey of GrowNYC

Farmers markets, Green Carts, supermarkets, public markets and healthy bodegas – all of these provide healthful options for shoppers. Expanded retail access to healthy and affordable food retailers can help more New Yorkers to make healthy choices when shopping for food. 

Farmers Markets 
Looking to buy local? Farmers markets offer some of the freshest, most nutritious locally grown products in the region. There are approximately 138 farmers markets in New York City,125 of which now accept the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Card.

Health Bucks, worth $2 each, can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at all farmers markets. If you use food stamps, you will receive a Health Buck for every $5 you spend at the farmers market.
Visit Health Bucks to find out where to find and use them
Download the map and list of all farmers markets in NYC (in PDF)

Want more out of your fruits and vegetables while shopping at a farmers market?
The City’s Stellar Farmers’ Market program provides free nutrition education workshops and cooking lessons at select farmers markets throughout NYC. Enjoy free samples, and if you stay for a whole workshop, you will receive a free Health Buck!
Learn about Stellar Farmers’ Markets

Interested in starting a farmers' market in New York City? This document provides an overview of the necessary steps as well as suggested considerations and resources for starting a farmers' market on municipal land. Steps include obtaining a permit, sorting out transportation logistics, and incorporating healthy food access programs.
Download the Overview of Starting a Farmers' Market in NYC (in PDF)

Green Carts
Green Carts are mobile food carts that offer fresh produce in certain New York City neighborhoods. Since the program’s start in 2008, nearly 500 vendors have opened Green Carts in City neighborhoods; helping many New Yorkers buy fresh fruits and vegetables close to home. This initiative is supported by a $1.5 million grant from the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund.
Learn more about Green Carts  
Download a map of the Green Cart areas (in PDF)
Download the free NYC Green Carts cookbook, featuring great recipes from celebrity chefs (in PDF) 

Shop Healthy
You can also find healthy options at many corner shops throughout the City. Since January 2005, the Healthy Bodegas initiative, now renamed Shop Healthy, has worked with more than 1,000 shops in East and Central Harlem, the South Bronx, and Central Brooklyn to promote healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain bread, low-fat milk and dairy products, and low-salt and no-sugar-added canned goods.
Learn about Shop Healthy 

Public Markets 
Public markets are a great place to buy fresh and unique food. In the 1930s, the City streets were overflowing with push-cart vendors. There were so many, that in an effort to ease congestion, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia established several neighborhood public markets: Essex Street, Moore Street, La Marqueta, and the Arthur Avenue Market - each with its own local flavor and a wide variety of items. Today the markets are thriving and more inviting than ever. So visit and enjoy.
Learn about public markets 
Learn about the Moore Street Market
Learn about the La Marqueta Market
Learn about the Arthur Avenue Market 

Supermarkets
Supermarkets provide a great variety of fresh foods as well as staples. New York City is working to support increased and improved supermarket retail outlets in currently underserved neighborhoods. Our FRESH program promotes supermarket development in certain neighborhoods with tax and zoning incentives, and the NYC Health Department is working with stores in your neighborhood to ensure that community residents have access to delicious and affordable fresh fruits and vegetables through their Healthy Supermarkets programs.
Learn more about FRESH

Healthy Shopping for Seniors
MarketRide provides senior citizens with transportation from participating City Senior Centers to nearby supermarkets and farmers markets.