“Pesto, chili, chimichurri, baba ghanoush, no sugar, gluten free!” On Wednesday at the Trojan Farmers Market, a vendor selling salsa and dips hawked his merchandise as students lined up at his booth.
The booth appeared to be a major hit among students: “They’re really, really yum, and the chips are, like, really fresh,” said one student, munching on the treats.
The open-air market is packed from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Wednesday. For almost a decade, it’s attracted crowds of USC students interested in healthy food options, or just good food that’s different from what they usually get on campus. Whether it’s trying new foods, visiting with friends, or stocking up on weekly groceries, there really is something for everyone.
Some of the vendors are family businesses who have been selling here for years, like Katherine Aranda of Bonanza Farm.
“It’s like a family owned business,” she said. “It’s been running for more than 15 years, starting off with my dad and my uncle, and then it started expanding with all of us ... Every Wednesday we’re here at USC, and then we also do other farmers markets throughout the week as well.”
USC Health was also there, not selling food, but offering free flu shots. The shots will be offered at the farmer’s market until around November, USC Health staff said.
“Students can just come up, give their USC ID number, fill out a quick form, and they should be in and out with within a couple of minutes,” USC Student Health Ambassador Gray Mandabach said.
So, for most of this fall, you can get a flu shot along with your lunch.