The Turnip Truck Natural Market officially opened its doors on Saturday, making it the newest addition to the ever-expanding Midtown scene. Housed in the Broadview at Vanderbilt, The Turnip Truck is a locally owned natural grocer offering organic produce, food essentials and an in-store eatery.
When I first heard the news of the Turnip Truck’s opening, I was thrilled. As a graduate student without a car, getting groceries can be a challenge. The nearest option is Kroger on 21st Ave., but a missed bus on the weekend means a 30-minute wait for the next or a 40-minute trek home. In normal temperatures and with a normal grocery load, the walk can be quite pleasant — throw in the freezing cold or a gallon of milk and a watermelon, and suddenly it’s not so fun.
This Turnip Truck is the biggest of its now four locations across Nashville and, according to owner John Dyke, pays homage to Nashville’s ‘70s-era natural foods store Sunshine Grocery. It’s convenient for me as a 10-minute walk and serves as the ultimate luxury for Broadview residents, who are a mere elevator ride away.
Arriving at the Turnip Truck, I was pleasantly taken aback by the store’s variety. I’d imagined it as a hole-in-the-wall, offering niche organic options to supplement one’s shopping at bigger chains like Kroger or Walmart. Instead, it had everything ranging from pantry essentials and microgreens to decently cheap wines and handcrafted bar soap.
What didn’t surprise me, however, were its prices. Indeed, there were a few good deals scattered throughout the store, particularly among its produce: organic oranges were on sale for $1 each, and organic bananas were $0.99/lb. Items like eggs, Greek yogurt and pasta sauce were only a dollar more than their Kroger equivalents. And to the Turnip Truck’s credit, its stated priority is to provide customers with healthy local products.
Yet as I ventured further into the store, some items grew out of budget, such as the $4.99 half-gallon milk — albeit hormone-free and sourced from nearby Russellville, Kentucky — and the $8.99 pound of Nicoletto’s pasta. The Turnip Truck featured other local favorites, from the Nashville-based Wilde Protein Chips to pints of Hattie Jane’s (highly recommend the Brown Sugar Cookie Dough), as well as international delicacies like Sumo Citrus and quail eggs.
If you live in the Broadview and want to whip up a quick meal, the Turnip Truck offers you all the ingredients you need just downstairs. If you’re on campus and forgot to pack a lunch — or maybe want a reprieve from Campus Dining — the Turnip Truck offers cold-pressed juices and smoothies, as well as sandwiches, sushi and a salad bar. If a friend’s birthday is soon approaching, the Turnip Truck features The Cupcake Collection selections as well as small cakes and cake-by-the-slice.
But if you’re an off-campus student making your weekly or bimonthly grocery haul, the Turnip Truck might not be the most financially sustainable option.
To decide whether the Turnip Truck is right for your needs, I urge you to consider: What is the price of convenience for you?
