Page 14 - Feast_Vol3

PINT SIZE PRODUCE

Farm to Early Care & Education: raising healthy, local food lovers

By Grace Brogan
Photos by Anita Schuckert & Ihsan Yaseen
Illustration by Olivia Olson Joannides

Toddlers despise broccoli. Since first engaging in Farm
...right? to ECE, Anita has expanded
her garden. Her kids even help
process some of the produce:
Turns out, it doesn’t have peeling tomatoes, freezing
to be that way. Research squash, and dehydrating apples
from a local farm. When winter
shows the earliest years comes, they delight in the great
are key in establishing taste taste of soups and sauces made
preferences and lifelong with those preserved ingredients.
healthy eating habits. At the same Anita also gets parents involved
by providing them with recipes and
time, many families are far removed ingredients, having them help with the kids
from the sources of their food. That’s why in the garden, and hosting Meal Prep Days—
initiatives like Farm to Early Care & Education where parents become more comfortable with
(Farm to ECE) are so vital.

Beyond providing local fare for meals and snacks, Farm to ECE
offers young eaters (birth to 6 years) great nutrition, fun food-
based activities and hands-on experiences with gardens, cooking
and farms. These programs, applied in kindergartens, preschools,
childcare centers and in-home settings, have health benefits for
kids, build community connectedness and diversify income for
local farmers. They’ve even been known to result in toddlers who
love broccoli.

Iowa Initiatives

Anita Schuckert, owner of Little Steps and Beyond Day Care in
Iowa City, embraced Farm to ECE after taking a class that helped
her make connections with local farmers. “As part of the class, I got
produce like apples and pumpkins to do taste tests and activities with
the kids,” recalls Anita. “The kids really liked making pumpkin butter,
which they got to take home.” The kids in her care try new foods,
help with snacks and assist with the garden.

14 FEAST! Local Foods Magazine