Farm Fresh

I feel really lucky to live and work where I have easy access to working farmland, orchards and robust farmers markets. Three seasons a year I have access to the freshest of locally grown vegetables and fruit. I hardly have to go to the grocery store and it is so easy to get the kids to make healthier food choices.

I work in downtown Minneapolis, where every Thursday the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market spans several blocks down Nicollet Mall. Each week I ride the bus home with a big bag full of seasonal goodness to kick off the weekend well.

Today I picked up a ton of gorgeous sweet corn, crisp green beans and some beautiful ripe tomatoes. My mouth is watering just thinking about the barbeque we’ll have tomorrow! I also picked up some fresh catnip as a treat for my kitties. Is it wrong that I supply drugs for my animals?

On the weekends we like to get the kids involved when we can. We spent last Sunday at Whistling Well Farm picking apples fresh from the trees and running around with the resident dog and chickens. It was such a wonderful way to relish the beautiful autumn afternoon and we went home with bags of delicious souvenirs to enjoy through the week. I can’t wait for prime Honeycrisp season to start in two weeks!

I am filling my body (and my freezer) with all the fresh goodness I can while the getting is good. Squash and pumpkins next – YUM!

Fitting Good Food Into Little Time

In my dream life I have a personal chef. He whips up perfectly delicious and nutritious meals for the family and there are always readily available healthy snacks when we need them.

Realty: As I write this I am eating a pre-made frozen lasagna out of a plastic tray that I just zapped with radiation. Mmmmm. I try not to make a habit out of this, but we are a beyond busy family and we usually eat what is easiest to grab. The trick is making sure the most accessible food is actually satisfying and good for us, so we’ve been working a lot on meal planning in our house lately.

We’ve found that the key to healthy, happy eating is involving the kids in the planning. Kids always enjoy food more when they feel like they had a hand in it. I don’t bring the kids to the grocery store with me (so I can stick to a list), but we do sit down together to prepare the shopping list.

Although it may sound like more work to involve the kids, it eliminates any arguments or decisions at meal times – and the kids love to be part of it. In the end, by planning together we end up with more time around the table enjoying the food together.

Additionally, we’ve been doing more to encourage the kids to take an interest in their personal nutrition. My five-year-old daughter really likes to eat and wasn’t blessed with a fast metabolism – it was quickly evident that we needed to help her make smart decisions at a young age or she could be plagued with weight struggles and potential health issues for life.

I’ve found the best tool to use with the kids is the good old fashioned Food Pyramid from the United States Department of Agriculture. The government-run website www.mypyramid.gov offers a tremendous amount of valuable information, including printables that you can hang right on your fridge for the kids to see every time they are choosing a snack. Tools and information vary by age group, so you can find the best suited resources for your family.

We refer to the Food Pyramid when planning our grocery lists and selecting our daily food choices. The kids enjoy the challenge of meeting the goals established on the Pyramid (which can be customized by person on the website):

Grains
Make half your grains whole
Eat 6 oz. every day

Vegetables
Vary your veggies
Eat 2 ½ cups each day

Fruits
Focus on Fruits
Eat 2 cups every day

Milk
Get your calcium-rich foods
Get 3 cups every day

Meat & Beans
Go lean with protein
Eat 5 ½ oz. every day

I guess the Food Pyramid is all just common sense. But really, common sense is what healthy eating is all about – natural food from the earth is always going to be healthier than food manufactured by humans. Still, it is nice to have the Pyramid’s system to follow – especially for the kids.

I am absolutely tickled when my kids say things like “mom, you need to add a protein to my lunch” or “I don’t think we’ve had enough orange vegetables this week.” Such good little stewards of health! Lucky they’re not here right now to witness this microwaved lasagna.