An SMU student looks at several varieties of fresh vegetables and fruit from North Texas farmers during the SMU Farmers’ Market Thursday afternoon inside the Hughes-Trigg Commons. (TAYLOR HENRY/The Daily Campus)

Real, Fresh, Fun is the motto of the two day SMU Farmer’s Market in the Hughes-Trigg commons.

Wellpower partnered with SMU Dining Services to serve fresh produce and health tips just as the stress of finals has student compromising their daily diets.

When the rush of finals makes eating healthy even harder than normal, SMU is giving SMU students the opportunity to live off something more than fast food during this last week.

Thursday, the event opened with a SMU community garden tour where Professor Elaine Heath of the Perkins School of Theology shared the future plans for the garden, which benefits the North Texas Food Bank.

“I think it went beautifully,” commented Wellpower member Mary Stall, “we had over 300 attend.”

After the tour, students and faculty can view the different tables circled around the commons.

Among the tables the North Texas Food Bank is accepting money or food donations, and is handing out information on how to eat healthy when dining out as well as how to read the labels on your food.

Next to the Food Bank is the Sustainability Committee using the organic platform to support their “Go Green” mantra.

Representing the SMU Dining Services the Dietician Clare Florsheim shares nutrition information and tips found in the Spa section in RFoC.

Also, Executive Chief Tim Schaub demonstrates how to make a tomato rose or apple swan garnish to add fun to cooking.

Dining Services lend several recipes put for attendees such as mango salsa, vegan peanut butter chocolate cookies, and salmon nicorse salad. With the ingredients available at the fresh produce stand there are no excuses for not trying a recipe.

The reasonably priced produce stand had everything from organic wheat grass, to peppers and blueberries.

While looking at the stand senior Janet Leung, said “I’m not very organic. If I have the time I will buy it and cook it.”

Staff member and Assistant to the Dean of SMU Libraries thought the market was “wonderful. I hope they keep this up.”

Friday the Farmer’s Market will start and 11:00 a.m. and end at 2:00 p.m. One of the activities available from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. is Good Dirt. During this time Ann Allen and Cathy Coates of SMU Facilities Management & Sustainability will be sharing tips on how to grow vegetables in containers.

Advice on healthy living will continue to be available from Wellpower, SMU Dining Services and the Deadman Center. The fresh produce stand will also remain open to visitors, and the garden tours will resume on Friday, from 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.