Funny is the best way I can describe my relationship with food. I LOVE food...good food that is. I enjoy going out to eat and trying new things. My travels around the world over the years have also afforded me the opportunity to try different foods from different cultures. I am "mostly" a vegetarian (actually mostly a vegan now that I'm breastfeeding and "Little" didn't have a good reaction to dairy so I cut it out of my diet entirely) I know what things are good for me and the things that are not so good for me. I'm sure most of you, that are reading this, are the same way...we know we shouldn't be eating this or that but we go ahead and do it anyway.
Now that I have a daughter it's becoming more apparent that I really need to put an end to eating those things that I shouldn't be eating....because there is no way I want her to start off her relationship with food the way so many Americans do. This brings me to the reason I wanted to write this post. Last month I was able to spend a week with a very close friend of mine, her husband and two sons, "X" who will be 6 in October and "C" who will be 4 also in October. They currently live in Paonia, CO....a very beautiful piece of our country surrounded by mountains, a river, orchards and vineyards. They moved there to get away from the city life and to let their boys grow up closer to nature. They are in the process of building a garden behind their house that the boys have enjoyed being a part of starting with planting the very first seeds. They are so excited and proud of their garden. They can walk you through and tell you what is growing in each and every section. They help their Dad harvest things as they become ready and then enjoy eating what they picked that day together as a family sitting around the dinner table. The few times that we did go out to eat the boys actually ASKED if they could order a side salad and then ATE it!!
This is the kind of relationship with food we need to start our kids off with from the time they start eating solid foods. Now, I know the majority of us don't have the ability to grow a beautiful garden in our back yards. But there are other ways to get your kids involved in what they are eating and where it comes from.
Go visit a farm (preferably organic, if you can, please!).
Grow some fresh herbs in your kitchen window.
Let them pick out some of the fruits and veggies you are going to get at the store, show them which ones are ready to eat and which ones aren't and tell them why.
If you have the access, take the kids shopping at a farmers market at least once a month. Let them meet the farmers, ask them questions and learn about how it was grown, where the food came from, why they became a farmer and so on.
Get them involved. They will love it and you will see their perspectives on what food is and what it means to them on a personal level change.
Children have the inborn quality to want to learn about, take part in and take pride in the way they live their lives. If they are given the opportunity to do so I truly believe that our babies will thrive without being pushed or prodded to do what YOU want them to do. It's no wonder that kids don't want to eat their green beans when you are pushing them to eat them "or else...." It's too bad so many kids don't enjoy eating their meal unless there is a packaged toy included or a colorful character on the box.
How do you get your kids involved with their food?
More Photos from our trip:
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| "X" Harvesting his Potato's |
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| Potato Claw! |
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| Kale from their garden. |
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| Another Kale and yes the boys ate KALE too! |
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Early Squash from their garden.
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| They have 9 Chickens that will be laying eggs this coming October. |
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| "Little" Loved those chickens!! |
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| Heading out to the orchard to pick peaches. |
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| Picking peaches in the orchard near their home. |
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| A beautiful day... |
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| "Little's" First Harvest! |
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| An orchard is such a beautiful place to be. |
