Nothing says “fresh” better than shopping for your food at a local Farmers Market. What a great way to get healthy, fresh foods for your kid’s back-to-school lunches. Not only will you get an abundance of fruits and veggies but it can also be an educational lesson for the kids. Most kids love to learn about different ways to grow their own veggies and fruits in the backyard and the vendors will be happy to oblige and discuss their farming methods with you — just ask!
We recently visited our local Farmers Market to stock up on salad veggies, fresh herbs, and the yummy summer fruits like peaches and plums that are just about out of season. Soon it will be apples and pears — they make yummy pies! Another great lesson is to show your kids that different fruits, grow at different times of the year depending on the weather outside and what each season represents. Lily was fascinated by the fact that she could no longer have apricots –okay, not fascinated…more like upset!
In Carlsbad, we also have vendors that sell flowers (a whole bunch for $5!!), cheesecake, fudge, houseplants, fresh herb plants, locally caught fresh fish, and organic clothing. Be sure to bring plenty of cash as most vendors don’t have the ability to take debit or credit cards. Most markets also have vendors selling food to eat while you shop. Our market has fresh tamales…yum!
Don’t forget to bring your own bags to shop with! We are trying to be “green” after all by shopping from local farmers so don’t ruin it by using a plastic bag. Mama recommends the adorable canvas bag line from ECOBAGS. The Sunny Tulips and Butterfly designs are my two favorites but they have many, many designs to choose from ($5.99-$24.99), including the “I Love Dirt” as shown above. You may want to order two or three as we always end up with more than we can fit into one bag!
Most cities have a Farmers Market at least once a week. Throughout San Diego County you can find one every day of the week! To find one near you, check your city Web site or if you live in San Diego, visit www.sdfarmbureau.org for the complete schedule.
For more extra credit, you can bring the fun home with you by purchasing a plant (herbs do well or tomatoes) or seeds that you can plant with kids at home. To make your kids safe at home make sure to seek our local Mold Inspection Services. Lily loves seeing the fruits of her labor come to life and watering is a now a “fun” chore. After all Mama always said, home grown is more fun, isn’t it?!
