If your kids are used to visiting your local farmers’ market, they may also be missing out on this weekly outing. There are lots of ways to keep them engaged with the market and where their food comes from. Here are a few ideas to help you get started. If you have more ideas for engaging kids with farmers’ markets in the age of COVID-19, please let us know in the comments below!
1. Grocery and Meal Planning
Many farmers’ markets have moved online, with some vendors offering their own ways to access their products, such as delivery or pick up services. Get your kids involved in the online order process! Ask them to help make the market grocery list, or help with meal planning. This is a great opportunity to teach budgeting, website navigation skills, or find out what your kid’s favourite market products or meals are. Here are some great tips on how to involve kids in meal planning.
2. Stay Connected to the Market Community
Farmers’ Market vendors are missing seeing their customers smiling faces as much as we are missing them! Another fun way to stay connected with your farmers’ market vendors is to send them a photo or video with your family with your market goods, thanking them for feeding you! If you post your photo or video on social media, tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and use the hashtag #NSMarketHaul.
3. Kids in the Kitchen
Take this time to slow down and let your children help with meal prep. Washing, cutting, measuring ingredients, reading a recipe, there are lots of ways for kids of all ages to be involved in preparing a meal. When you’re finished, be sure to take a photo of the dish you made with farmers’ market ingredients, and send it to your local farmers’ market or the producers themselves! They will love to see the meals inspired by their products. For meal inspiration check out Bite Size Kitchen.
4. Get creative!
Pull out the art supplies and make drawings, paintings or collages featuring farmers’ market groceries! Check out @suekerr.wellington and @sknowling on Instagram for some wonderful inspiration. Here is a great resource on observational drawing for kids.
5. The Importance of Local Food
Your children may have questions about why there is no toilet paper available in the store, or why a certain food product is sold out. This is a great opportunity to teach them why local farms are important, and about food security. Here are some great resources on food security to get you started.
