Fruits and vegetables are good for you and contribute to a healthy, balanced diet. They are a great source of vitamins and an excellent source of fiber. According to the NHS website, eating fruits and vegetables can also help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer.

Besides their health benefits, fruits and vegetables are delicious. In West Columbia, there are many ways to get fruits and vegetables, and fresh produce is even more abundant in the Summer.

Cafe Strudel, Hideout in WECO, Breakfast at Ruiz, D’s Wings, Terra, Black Rooster, Crave, and Savage Craft Ale Works are some of the local Restaurants that offer healthy salads with local produce.  

Fresh, locally grown produce is also available at the West Columbia Meeting Street Artisan Market. Fire Barrel Farm is an Artisan Market vendor. Products available from Fire Barrel Farm include squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, eggs, locally produced honey, and homemade jams and jellies.

Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center conducts a Roadside Produce Stand in partnership with Martin Farms at the corner of 12th Street and Monticello Street in the summer.

The BLEC Roadside Produce Stand offers high-quality, fresh, low-cost produce from local farmers. It’s open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. every Monday. Products include tomatoes, okra, peppers, plums, honey, and more.  

Another option for accessing fruits and vegetables is the SC State Farmers Market, which is located at 3483 Charleston Highway, West Columbia. Brad Boozer is the market’s manager.

“Summer is our busiest time of the year,” he said. “The market is open 24 hours, and local producers come in as easily as 5:30 a.m.”

“We have produce that was picked the day before, and sometimes we’ll have it in the market the same day it was picked,” said Boozer, “so it’s always fresh. We have peaches, watermelon, cantaloupe, beans, okra, and the renowned John’s Island tomatoes.”

Boozer also said the South Carolina peach crop came in at 100 percent this year, up from about 40 percent last year because of poorer growing conditions. He said the feel of the open-air market draws a high volume of retail traffic in the summer, making it a fun place to visit.

In the summer, West Columbia offers abundant options for eating healthier. Visit your favorite local restaurant or take advantage of the many opportunities to buy fresh local produce, which is much more available in these warm months. 

List of West Columbia restaurants:

• Grecian Gardens Restaurant – 2312 Sunset Blvd – 803-794-7552
• Cafe Strudel – 300 State St. – 803 – 926-5255
• Savage Craft Ale Works – 430 Center St. – (803) 888-6005
• WECO Bottle and Biergarten – (803) 851-1279
• The Hideout in WECO – State Street
• La Cienega Mexican Grill & Seafood – (803) 888-7471
• Breads and Such – 1220 C Ave. – (803) 851- 0566
• Buttercream Dreams – 1230 C Ave. – (803) 708-4485
• Hite’s BBQ – 240 Dreher Rd. – (803) 794-4120
• Jimmy’s Mini Mart/Citgo – 812 Meeting St. – (803) 794-0090
• Maurice’s Piggie Park – 1600 Charleston Highway – 803-796-0220J
• Nick’s House of Pizza Restaurant- 1082 A Sunset Blvd – 803-794-9240
• DeLuccas 1720 Sunset Blvd. – 803- 926-5255
• Breakfast at Ruiz – 116 State Street – (803) 550-9681
• Ariana’s Greek Restaurant – 1720 Sunset Blvd. – (803) 796-4430
• Lizard’s Thicket – 2234 Sunset Blvd. 803 – 794-0923
• True BBQ – 1237 D Ave – (803) 791-9950
• Chick-fil-A -2299 Augusta Rd. – (803) 939-1600
• Rush’s 2332 Sunset Blvd. – (803) 796-5034
• Another Broken Egg – 101 State St. – (803) 829-0223