Mom, What Does Organic Mean?—Nature's Path Blog, May 1, 2021

Image—Getty

This blog post was written by Lise Boullard and originally published by Nature’s Path on May 1, 2021.

Pesticides in foods, insect repellent, and garden products have been linked to an array of diseases, including cancer. But did you know that children are at an even greatest risk of exposure than adults because their organs are still developing?

That’s why eating an organic diet and teaching kids about pesticides and organic farming at a young age will set them up for a lifetime of health and wellbeing. Here are five fun ways to teach your littluns about organic eating:

1. Grow Your Own

One of the best ways to show your kids that food isn’t grown on a grocery store shelf is to harvest it yourself! Getting kids involved in planting seeds, plus growing and harvesting vegetables, fruits and herbs can be a fun and educational activity for the whole family. The good news is you don’t need an expansive yard space to get started. You can demonstrate the principles of organic farming on your windowsill or in small pots on your terrace.

2. Read Up

Introducing a new topic into your kids’ bedtime stories is a great way to get them schooled on all things organic. Children’s books like How Did That Get in My Lunch Box? and See Inside Where Food Comes From, which includes illustrations and interactive flaps, are fantastic bedtime reads.

3. Make Food Fun!

Make eating an opportunity for learning and play. When serving organic fruits and vegetables, arrange them by the colours of the rainbow. Make open-faced sandwiches with “face” designs. Taking the fam on a grocery run? Play Grocery Store Bingo: get kids to find produce and products that are labeled “organic,” “superfoods,” “all-natural,” “fresh,” “antioxidants” and “probiotics.”

4. Shop the Farmer’s Market

Taking your child on a shopping trip to the Farmer’s Market is a fantastic way for them to learn where food comes from, and the difference between organic and non-organic produce. Planning out meals beforehand, giving your little one their own reusable bag so they can pick out their own produce, and encouraging them to ask vendors questions are all fun ways to make their experience more hands-on.

5. Gets Kids Involved in Food Prep

Asking the kiddos to help you plan meals, pick herbs from the garden, chop veggies, and stir and mix ingredients is a great way to teach them about how organic ingredients relate to the food on their plate. Let them choose recipes from a cookbook and try new and unfamiliar ingredients each week. Eating can be an adventure!

We hope your child’s path to an organic lifestyle is a vibrant, fun, and delicious one!