Visit the Marketplace

Children provide endless opportunities to teach them about healthy eating. One of the most enjoyable experiences can be a visit to the market—be it your local grocery store or a neighborhood farmers’ market.

When guiding kids toward healthy food choices, modeling positive behavior is essential. Research indicates that children whose parents buy nutritious foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables, are much more likely to make similar healthy selections than those whose parents opt for less beneficial options like processed snacks.

Explore these additional benefits, lessons, and activities that can emerge from taking kids to the market.

Discover Food Seasons

Visiting outdoor and indoor farmers’ markets provides kids with a vibrant view of food seasonality. They can observe asparagus in late spring, tomatoes overflowing in late summer, beautiful arugula from June to September, and hearty root vegetables starting in late summer and lasting through winter.

Understand the Journey of Food

Opening children’s eyes to real whole foods illustrates just how distant processed food is from fresh ingredients. Whether it’s fresh produce, meat, or eggs, they’ll learn that there’s an entire world of food beyond the wrapped grocery items.

Emphasize Local Choices

Inspire your young locavores to understand the positive impact of choosing local foods on both the planet and the food system as a whole.

Discuss Dinner Plans

Engage your kids in conversation about their selections at the market. Ask them why they chose certain ingredients and encourage a sense of ownership over their healthy food decisions. Also, invite them to share how they would like to prepare it for dinner.

Encourage Trying New Foods

Many vendors are happy to offer samples before purchase. Even if the result is a firm “no,” at least they’ve had a chance to try something new.

Promote Curiosity with Questions

Empower your children to ask farmers’ market vendors their own questions (if they’re old enough). This gives them the chance to receive answers in a way they can understand.

Start a Home Vegetable Garden

Even a small indoor pot of rosemary can be a garden for kids to nurture, providing them with the thrill of growing something they can later use in cooking.

Introduce Basic Nutrition

Keep it simple for children; fun facts, such as bell peppers being rich in vitamin C and good for preventing colds, serve as a foundation for more complex discussions about nutrition.

Once your shopping is complete and your little chefs are excited to cook, it’s time to put those healthy food choices into action throughout the week. If they witness the excitement around fresh produce from both you and the farmer, they’ll be eager to help with preparation and, ultimately, enjoy eating the meals.

Need dinner ideas? Check out this week-long meal plan featuring kid-friendly dinners made with fresh market ingredients.