Farmers’ Market on a Budget: CalFresh Matching Programs and Deals

Hey Gators! Are you a CalFresh recipient? The following guide explains how you can use your CalFresh benefits and score amazing deals that stretch your food budget further, utilizing local farmers' markets.

As supermarket grocery store prices continue to increase, consider visiting a local farmers' market. They’re hubs of community, where residents can access fresh, locally produced fruit and vegetables, baked goods, and artisanal products such as honey and jams. ¹

 While many folks believe that farmers' markets tend to be more expensive than shopping at grocery stores, farmers' markets offer a variety of items listed at lower prices than those at chain supermarkets.² Although some items, such as honey, for example, may be more expensive than those found in your local supermarket, the difference is that the honey at farmers' markets is often fresher and more organic compared to the honey in stores that list five or more ingredients on their nutrition label. As students, it is also important to be mindful of the things our body consumes. So, not only are you nourishing your body with better items, but you are also supporting local.

Farmers markets can be something to look forward to at the end of your week, after a long week of class and lecture. Take a trip to a farmers' market, as a breather, as they offer a chance to score amazing goods. You can find various things from fresh flowers to brighten up your space, to food trucks serving yummy foods (be sure to bring cash or card, since CalFresh isn't usually an accepted form of payment), and fruit and veggie stands! CalFresh can additionally be used for meat (at selected vendor booths), herbs, eggs, bread, and cheese, too; it is not just limited to fruits and vegetables.

The great thing about our campus is that here at SF State, we host a farmers' market every Thursday from 10 am to 3 pm, which accepts CalFresh. I myself was able to purchase two pressed juices for my friend and me, which we enjoyed on our way to class, utilizing my CalFresh benefits. We hope you visit and take a trip to your local farmer's market. Save your coin and double your dollars! 

Now, as a CalFresh recipient, you have access to various farmers' markets that take CalFresh as a form of payment. Typically, there will be an information booth at farmers' markets where you exchange your chosen CalFresh spending amount, and you'll receive tokens or coins in return. These tokens or coins can be used at the stands at the markets. 

Several farmers' markets even offer MarketMatch, which is an incentive program that doubles your purchasing power. For example, if you spend $10, you will get an additional $10, typically in the form of tokens or coins, which is what your CalFresh funds are converted to. This leaves you with a total of $20 that you can spend however you'd like at the farmers' market. ³ the typical maximum that a market can match ranges from $15-20 per visit. This means that on a weekend, if you want to get some shopping done, you can use $15 of your CalFresh funds and receive an additional $15 through the MarketMatch program. If you wanted to set aside those extra $15, you are more than welcome to! The following week, you are able to do the same thing and end up with an extra $30. As a student, it is important to utilize the MarketMatch program as it doubles the purchasing power of your CalFresh benefits, ultimately increasing access to healthy and nutritious food.

Farmers Market Finder Map allows you to look for local farmers' markets around your area, and those that offer the MarketMatch program! Using this tool creates an easier experience. The markers that are green are markets that offer the MarketMatch program! To explore the farmers' markets in the San Francisco area, click here! ⁴

      References

1. United States Department of Agriculture. Farmers' Markets as Community Centerpieces. USDA Blog. https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/blog/farmers-markets-community-centerpieces Published August 5, 2013. Accessed November 12, 2025.
2. Brock Co Blog. Farmers' Market Misconceptions. https://brockco.com/blog/farmers-market-misconceptions/ Published March 22, 2024. Accessed November 12, 2025
3. Market Match. Eat Health and Save More with MarketMatch. https://marketmatch.org/ Accessed November 12, 2025
4. San Francisco Environment Department. Farmers' Markets in San Francisco. https://www.sfenvironment.org/farmers-markets-in-sf Published March 21, 2025. Accessed November 12, 2025
5. MarketMatch. How it Works. https://marketmatch.org/about/how-it-works/ Accessed November 12, 2025.