Eating right on vacation can be a real challenge. The ready availability of junk food combined with a busy vacation schedule makes it tempting to grab some grub on the go. It's vacation, after all, so live a little.
But for those who favor a healthy diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, switching to easy and greasy food for a week can really throw your body a curveball, or maybe a fried cheese ball. You can only eat so many hot dogs and hamburgers before your system starts telling you it's time for something green and not fried.
Even though you are on vacation, you are never far away from a farmers market or fresh-food grocery to find the fuel your body wants and needs. Whether it's fresh local fruit to start you day or locally caught seafood for dinner in the room, you can find what you are looking or at one of these five convenient locations:
DeVille Street Farmer's Market: This popular spot is only open on Saturdays during the summer months, but if you are close to Market Common on the weekend it's worth stopping by to shop. A wide selection of locally grown produce is on display in the open-air marketplace, and other vendors offer unique items such as homemade jams and jellies, arts and crafts, and organic pet treats. Spend the day in shopping at Market Common or go for a picnic in nearby Valor Park.
Lee's Farmer's Market: This Murrells Inlet market has a little bit of everything. A wide variety of locally grown produce and fresh seasonal seafood, including shrimp, blue crabs, clams, oysters, and mussels, may be the main draw, but this place has a surprising selection in stock – imported wines and sauces, homemade jams and jellies, fresh baked breads and cheeses. The deli has meats shipped in from the famed Carnegie Deli in New York City for an authentic flavor, and patrons can even dine in while taking a break from shopping.
Myrtle Beach Produce: This small but well-stocked roadside market is only four blocks from the Caribbean, so you can take a healthy hike to get a healthy bite to eat. This place is like so many you will find throughout the south, a covered patio with items on display inside and out. Get fresh produce and other local items, as well as boiled peanuts and apple cider. The prices are cheaper than a lot of the fancier markets that have sprung up with the health food craze.
Myrtle's Market: This city-operated market is located in the heart of downtown beside city hall. Nearby farmers flock to this outdoor spot three days a week during the summer months (Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays) and features more than a dozen vendors from local farms. Fresh produce, including the famed South Carolina peaches, strawberries and watermelons, are among the many items on display. Homemade pies and cakes, fresh local seafood, and jars of preserves are among the many things you can find at this gathering spot.
The Fresh Market: Located about 5 miles north of the Caribbean Resort on Kings Highway, this regional grocery chain puts the focus on fresh. In addition to a huge produce department, Fresh Market has a full-service deli filled with house-made salads and dishes. The meat department offers gourmet items ready to toss on the grill, and the in-house bakery makes a wide selection of breads, cakes and cookies. If you are looking for a mix of fresh and processed foods, you may want to shop elsewhere, or go to two different stores, because you won't find junk food on the shelves of the Fresh Market.
(Posted: 6/8/15)
