Fruit and Vegetable Van in the smaller towns.

[Bajaracer]

No one has mentioned the fruit and vegetable vans that sell produce, sometimes bread, and other items as well to the small towns that don't have any stores, usually a white Mercedes Sprinter van with a loud horn.
When you hear the loud horn, wave down the driver and buy from him, you'll be pleasantly surprised at what he has on hand, fair prices and a godsend on some days on the Camino.

 

[Kiwi-family]

But don't be offended if they say they can't sell to you - that was our experience!

 

[peregrina2000]

These vans have been miracle workers for me -- just this past June in Riego del Camino on the Sanabres on a Sunday, a produce truck set up show in town and it had fruit and vegetables just as delicious as any market anywhere in Spain. Same thing happened unexpectedly in Castromonte on the Camino de Madrid. Both times I was pretty low on supplies and had no fresh fruit in my pack.

The problem of course is that you can't count on them unless you know their schedule, but I agree that when they appear, take advantage. Same is true for bread and pastry trucks, I have found that they usually carry extras as they do their delivery route.

Kiwi-family, I'm assuming that when you flagged one of these guys down, he saw that your group was as large as the population of the town he was driving to and realized you'd clean him out.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[scruffy1]

In Galicia these same vans may not have any fruit or bread at all but rather fish! Everything from fresh hake until whole octopus boiled shrimp to whole sardines - rushing over to get your baguette you may be in for a surprise!