“What new vegetable are you going to try this week?”
I ask this question to one little blond boy everytime he comes to the farm with his family to pick up their vegetables. Like many children, he has sensory issues which make it difficult for him to try new things.
This summer he has at least tried slices of cucumber, strawberries and many other farm veggies.
I hear from CSA member parents that their children are eating more vegetables - and they like them!
Sometimes children who rejected vegetables before are willing to eat them when they come from the farm. Understanding where their food comes from and knowing the people who work hard to grow it can make a difference. It’s like telling a story. Have you ever read a story to your child and then they wanted you to buy the stuffed animal or doll that was the main character? They like to be connected to something real and know the story about it.
Vegetables from the farm taste better too! If they rejected frozen or canned vegetables from the store, their taste buds just might be happier when they experience more flavor from the varieties that we grow.
In our first year of CSA farming one mom told us that her daughter loved our broccoli so much that she would choose it over the peaches.
My children grow up eating vegetables straight from the field. But when they are little sometimes they are picky. My two year old will often reject his vegetables at supper time but eat plenty of them if I just hand him a whole pepper, cucumber or tomato to eat as a snack.
Have you ever given your child a whole vegetable to eat? That might be a new experience that will intrigue them, especially if it’s given as a snack in between meal times.
We'll keep farming for you!
Reuben and Tessa DeMaster
