By Adrian Kohrt
As the birds migrate back into town, the snow melts and leaves sprout, we finally see the arrival of summer. School is done for the year, and your children are excited for some time off. Summer is a great time of year to keep the learning process going in hands-on ways.
One of the best ways to get to know your community and the people who reside in it is to attend the local farmers market. It is a great way to teach healthy eating, increase your children’s food tastes, and support the farmers in our community. Not only will you be supporting the farmers and the work that they do, but you will be able to teach your children where food comes from and what grows here in Alaska.
As you wander around the farmers market, there are many activities that you can do with your children to keep them occupied and learning at the same time. Here are a few suggestions to help you along the way.
• Meet the farmer: Make a game out of meeting each farmer who has a booth at the market. Your children can find out where they live, what they grow, and even get free samples of their produce, if it is available. By tasting different vegetables this allows your children to expand their palates. Remember to stop by the dairy farmer and buy some eggs for breakfast.
• Encourage young growers: Be inspired by your trip to the farmers market and grow your own vegetable and herb garden with your children. You do not need a lot of yard space to grow a garden. You can grow a small one in containers on the back porch. Research with your children how to grow specific types of vegetables. Help them shop for seeds and other things you need. The more involved they are in the process, the more they learn and the more excited they will become.
• Eat the rainbow: One of the best ways to get the nutrients necessary for your body is to “eat the rainbow.” By eating a wide variety of different fruits and vegetables of varying colors, you provide your body with many vitamins and nutrients necessary for growth. Make a game of going to the market to find as many different colored vegetables and fruits as possible. Purchase them and take them home to cook for dinner. Your kids will marvel at the many different colors on their plates. The bonus is that since your children helped pick them out, they are more likely to eat them.
• Farmers market scavenger hunt: A fun way to pass the time in the market is to go on a scavenger hunt. You can look up the phrase “farmers market scavenger hunt” online and come up with all sorts of sheets that you can take along with you on your journey through the market. Look with your children for foods grown underground, or foods that come from seeds that you can eat and a variety of other produce. This activity is a fun way to tour the farmers market and encourage excitement and adventure with your children.
• Let’s cook: There are many kid-friendly recipes on the internet. Find one that appeals to your family and go to the farmers market to shop for the produce for your meal. This allows your children to plan the meal, shop for the ingredients, and go through the process of cooking the meal (with your help). Children who are invested in the food they eat are more likely to eat all the food on the plate. This is a great way to encourage kids to eat their vegetables and fruits.
These are just a few ideas of ways to get your children actively interested in the farmers market and the produce that it has to offer. While children shop, play and eat, they will learn valuable life skills such as identifying the kinds of fruits and vegetables available in our area and their names, they can practice addition and subtraction while buying your purchases, and they will become conscious of making healthy food choices. Have fun at the farmers market.
Adrian Kohrt is a family nutrition coordinator for Cooperative Extension Service, a part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, working in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For questions, she can be contacted at amkohrt@alaska.edu or 907-474-7930.
