Do you teach your Grands know where food comes from? It may sound like a simple question but more and more frequently children, and even some adults, might answer, “From the store.” If you live in an agricultural area, you know that there are many answers to this question. We, as grandparents, can help our little ones understand the whole cycle of food production, transportation, and marketing if we take a little time to educate them.
First, focus on production. Talk about farming, animal husbandry, orchards, and processing. If you have local farmer’s markets or pick your own farms, take your grands on a day trip and let them see firsthand where wheat, eggs, milk, and corn come from. Many farmer’s markets have tasting available and you can explore new tastes with your Grand, too. If there are tours on dairy farms, explore and let them taste fresh products that might be available. If you know anyone that raises chickens, take your Grands to see them and maybe get an egg out of a nesting box. It’s a delight to see their faces as they interact with the hens. There are fun ways to share this knowledge and kids love almost anything to do with animals and food!
Next, teach them about getting food from producer to consumer. Point out trucks laden with produce or take them to the local grocery store and have a department manager speak to them about how they stock their section of the store. Do a Google search with them to see how many ways food gets from field to consumer. Find a local farm-to-table restaurant, take them to eat, and talk with the owners about where they get the local meats, veggies, and cheeses. Not only is it great information, but you will both learn a lot about a whole new segment of your community.
Finally, spend some time having your grands find food marketing in magazines, online, or in print papers. Food marketing is an art unto itself. I find that the fruit and veggie advertising is particularly beautiful with all the colors! I’ve seen semi trucks with amazing graphics on the side walls advertising luscious-looking fruits and veggies. Have your Grands watch for them as you travel through large cities or on the highways.
Help your Grands see beyond the walls of the grocery store and get a deeper understanding of what it takes to sustain human life. As we talk about gardening and food this month, enjoy the new growing season and make it a project with your Grands!
Resources:
Watch our latest YouTube video on this subject here.
For great books that you can use to teach your Grands about food, click here.