Mindful Activities for Children: Shopping at a Farmer's Market

Being actively part of our own food chain is a great opportunity to create mindfulness in our lives by making choices about where and how we buy our food, thereby placing more value on it and recognising the role it plays in our lives.

Children can especially benefit from the family buying at farmers’ markets because it gives them the real life link between what they eat and where it comes from.

 You might like to try this activity with your children on the weekend, it's an activity the whole family can get involved in together! And it means Mum and/or Dad aren't the only ones thinking about what the family will eat for the week, everyone lends a helping hand.

SHOPPING AT THE MARKET

• Make a list with them before leaving home about what the family needs
   

• Help them choose the produce, following the list and comparing the quality and price of different vendors. They will, over time  most likely develop a favourite supplier if given the chance – very mindful!
   

• Try to introduce them to the farmer who grows the food. This can be especially powerful for city kids as often there is no correlation between buying fresh food at a supermarket and how and where it originated.
   

• When you get home let them help you wash the produce and put it away - a very purposeful and mindful‘real’ family job.
   

• When the food is being cooked or eaten remind them where it came from.
   

• It may take a little more time to do the shopping but the reward is more mindful children and adults.

Enjoy your shopping expedition!