I think we can all agree that getting kids of all ages to know food and where it comes from is Key! As a Mom I know that when my daughters helped me in the garden they are more adventurous at the dinner table. Take this humbling statistic, According to the USDA the top 10 favorite food dishes of kids are:1.Chicken noodle soup 2.Tacos 3.Grilled cheese 4. Spaghetti 5. Hot Dogs 6. Macaroni and Cheese 7. Hamburgers 8. PB & J 9. Chicken nuggets 10. Pizza
HUH? Something missing…? How about Fruits & Veggies???
One of the biggest questions Mom’s ask me is; “How can I get my child to eat more fruits and vegetables”? I always answer that in two parts; 1) Do you eat fruits and vegetable with your kids? ( Try this Clementine, Banana & Pineapple Smoothie) and, 2) Do they know where they come from? Making food fun is a key step. Kids are curious creatures; they want to help, explore and learn! Getting your child to create a story about either fruits or vegetables is a wonderful way to get them involved in eating more of them.
I recently attended “A Tribute to Agriculture” a celebration of National Agriculture Day. I learned some really fun ways from kids to help kids get educated in Ag! I had the pleasure of meeting Nick O’Brien, a 7th Grader and winner of the 2011 Imagine This story writing contest. At the event, Nick read his story, “The Proud Pluot” which tells a story about how pluots originated from the plum and apricot ancestors.
The Imagine This contest is put on by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. This foundation focuses on creating awareness in classrooms and communities about the significance of agriculture in our everyday lives. If you haven’t heard about it check out the web site not only is it a really informative site it has great activities, lesson games and a whole bunch of stuff for kids to learn – oh yeah and it’s free. To enter the contest, kids in grades 3-8 can submit their story about agriculture(under 750 words) to compete in a regionally and state wide. The 2012 deadline is November 1st, but it’s never too early to submit! Please visit their website for more information. Another great resource for information on agriculture is the California Farm Bureau Federation.
To also get your kids involved in where their food comes from, here are a few recipes for you to try at home:
Have some fun tonight at the dinner table by sharing a few fun food quotes and jokes – food for thought!
Funny Food quotes from kids:
-“Why I wonder is a tomato round and red?” “Because if it was long and green it’d be called a cucumber instead!”- Anonymous
- I always eat my peas with honey, I’ve done it all my life. They do taste kind of funny, but it keeps them on my knife!” Anonymous.
Food Humor:
-Did you hear about the two peanuts walking in the woods? One was a-salted!
-Knock, Knock….Who’s there? Lettuce! Lettuce Who? Lettuce in and we’ll tell you!
-What do you call a fake noodle? An IMPASTA!
-What do you call cheese that’s not yours? NACHO CHEESE!
-Why do fish avoid the computer? So they don’t get caught in the internet!
How are you turning the tables on vegetables and teaching your kids about Agriculture? Leave a comment on my blog or Facebook and you could win an Imagine This storybook! One lucky winner will be given the whole series of Imagine This books!
I leave you with one additional question. Do you know what president said this quote?
“I do not like broccoli. And I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m President of the United States and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli.”
Keep it Fresh,
Laura McIntosh
Rules of Conduct
Welcome to the discussion.
Or, use your linked account: