Monday, October 11, 2010
Can’t Get Your Kids to Eat Their Veggies? Visit a Farm
Take your children to a farm!
A fun day trip so your kids can see how food is grown and be able to pick their very own veggies just might inspire them to eat healthy. Enjoy a bright, sunny day in the clean air among rows and rows of garden vegetables and fruit trees. Explore the jungle of corn stalks towering overhead, or hunt for the biggest or roundest pumpkin underneath those large leaves.
Oh, and be sure to take extra clothes to change into so your children can enjoy playing outside without worrying about getting dirty.
One of my favorite places to go is Gizdich Ranch in Watsonville. It’s a lot of fun. You can tour the ranch, pick your own fruit and veggies and if you visit on Saturdays from September through May you can watch apples getting pressed into juice that tastes so good.
To find a farm nearer to you, check out PickYourOwn.org. You can search the state of California by county. Or you can call a local 4H group or County Cooperative Extension Service for information on farms that allow visits. You might want to look for one with a small petting zoo. They have cute goats, sheep, chickens, and other farm animals that really get the children excited.
Another place you might want to check out is the Harvest Festival in San Jose. They’re going to have some really great activities for children and parents to enjoy. There’ll be 4H exhibits, all day musical entertainment, food, tours, pony rides and even a petting zoo!
When you get to the farm and your children open the car door, they’re going be so excited to be out in the open spaces with so many interesting things to see and experience. Just remind them to be careful of where they step in the gardens so they don’t damage the plants and to always approach the animals slowly and calmly so as not to scare them. It would also be a good idea to leave your pets at home.
Be sure you bring home plenty of good fresh fruits and veggies that your children have picked out. And don’t forget those jars of jams and jellies. You might even ask for recipes – farmers have a lot of experience creating tasty dishes that kids like to eat.
This just might be the start of new eating habits for your whole family. If you want help with grocery shopping or personal meal preparation, check out Simplify and see how we can help you prepare healthy meals.
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