Last week, the girls and I were invited to the Grand Opening event at Pittsburgh’s new Fresh Thyme Farmers Market. Have you heard of this store yet? This popular-in-the-Midwest grocery chain is making its way further East which we are so excited about! We love exploring our city and suburbs together and had so much fun touring this new grocery store with registered dietitian Kerry Clifford. If you’re local, this Bridgeville location is right off of 79 and so convenient even if you live North of the city like we do. 
This grocery store is set up to feel like a local farmers market with the convenience of being your regular neighborhood grocery spot too! I love that because needing multiple grocery store stops can be so frustrating with four kids in tow. It’s nice to walk into a store you can rely on to be better for you without so much extra effort reading every single label and checking every single brand.
Literally mountains of fresh rainbow produce. The aisles and displays are low so you can easily see where everything is without needing a fancy map or big aisle signs.
Obviously I was crushing on the olive bar! I’m so addicted to a perfectly selected tub of olives. Real Olive seems skeptical. Kerry showed us how the nut butter machines worked- these were so cool! I loved that we could pick exactly what we wanted and exactly how much. Sometimes I want to use a particular nut butter for recipes but don’t want to buy a whole tub of it. Perfect! And this checkout… water, better for you grab and go snacks, fruit leathers, honey sticks, instant protein, tea and coffee. Literally the best checkout I’ve seen.
Because grocery hauls are so fun (why are we all so into this?!) here is a look at what we picked up the first time we went in. That fresh jalapeño bread is the stuff of dreams. And I love what Kerry said while we were there- great bread SHOULD spoil quickly! It’s so nice that they bake all their loaves in manageable sizes. Less waste!
I didn’t think I could find plantain chips any better than where I usually get them but… I did it! These plantain chips from Fresh Thyme’s private label selection are delicious- perfectly salted. So so good.
And my nursing mama friends- are you into mocktails yet? I love mixing up a faux cocktail every once in awhile. Fresh Thyme’s coconut lime sparkling soda is absolutely perfect to have on hand (for real cocktails too!) because it’s fresh and bubbly but it’s also just slightly sweet so no simple syrup needed! I pour a glass of it with ice, fresh lemon, and a splash of unsweetened iced tea.
I told Kerry that I have been wanting to try Kombucha. She described how good it is for gut health and recommended me her favorite flavor- Fresh Thyme’s grapefruit ginger. It was so yummy and spicy/fruity. This goes on the “will buy every time” list.
Each of the girls picked up a tub of ice cream. I could cry it’s so good. It’s creamy and clearly labeled with dietary information. We may or may not have paired it with Fresh Thyme’s Buttermilk Waffles for giant ice cream sandwiches. Summer is for treats, right?
Ok so these meal bowls… I’m the worst with lunch for myself. Especially during the summer when things are just so busy. But I have to make sure I’m eating properly to make enough milk for little Olive. You might not know it by her chubby thighs but she can tell when I miss a meal! This Southwest Steak bowl was delicious and has 22g of protein!
We also picked up quite a bit of prepared fruit. A giant tub of cantaloupe and a ton of pomegranate seeds. They were priced well, tasted so fresh, and were super convenient for this Mama who is trying to survive another week with Daddy away on a business trip.
Here are a few fun facts about Fresh Thyme:
Fresh Thyme Farmers Market sources many local offerings which makes each store unique.
Seafood is flown in daily (rejoice!).
They carry earth friendly cleaning and health and beauty products.
They have an amazing bulk section.
The store has clear labels and knowledgeable staff available at every turn. So helpful when you are trying to follow special dietary rules or just make more healthful choices for your family.
Your kids can find the tractor for a free treat. They found it and each picked a piece of saltwater taffy a no artificial colors added. My fave!
They have a great app, digital coupons and rewards system. Apps make my life so much easier.
Fresh Thyme supports local and community philanthropy efforts- you can visit their Giving Tree when you stop in to see where donations are going and what Fresh Thyme is currently supporting.
Visit Fresh Thyme’s location finder to see if there’s a store near you.
I’m giving away a $50 Fresh Thyme gift card over on instagram! Find me @sweetersidemom.
Have a great weekend!
xoxo
-J
This post is brought to you in partnership with Fresh Thyme Farmers Market. All words and images expressed here are strictly my own.
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