Growing Healthy Eaters
Area 2 Farms believes that the journey to healthy eating starts young. Childhood is a critical period for developing eating behaviors and habits that can last into adulthood, playing a vital role in growth, overall health, and the prevention of diet-related chronic diseases. That's why we're so passionate about connecting children with fresh, healthy local foods right from the start!
The Power of Early Exposure and Local Foods
Research shows that early exposure to healthy foods encourages lifelong habits that support better health and nutrition. While there's a lot of guidance on what foods children should eat for optimal health, there's less on how to feed them to promote healthy habits. This is where initiatives like Farm to Early Care and Education (Farm to ECE) come in, focusing on community-based activities that support young children’s connections to fresh, healthy local foods and their engagement with local agriculture.
The benefits are clear: engaging children with local food activities can increase their willingness to try new produce and boost their overall fruit and vegetable intake. Children learn to like what is familiar and appealing to them, and repeated exposure is the most effective strategy to promote food acceptance. It can take anywhere from 5 to 15 exposures for children to accept new foods, but even small tastes can be successful. Caregivers, including those in early care and education settings, play a crucial role in shaping these preferences.
How Area 2 Farms Helps Cultivate Healthy Habits
Area 2 Farms is dedicated to being a key resource for schools and children in our community, fostering these vital connections to local food and agriculture. Here's how:
We Host School Tours: What better way for children to understand where their food comes from than by visiting the farm? Area 2 Farms school tours are a fantastic way for students to engage in agriculture education. They can see for themselves what food looks like as it grows, how our farm how our farm operates using organic practices, and even taste freshly harvested vegetables.
We Provide Kid-Friendly Recipes: Our Almanac if full of recipes designed to make local food more approachable. From crop guides that explain what each vegetable is and how it tastes, to simple, step-by-step recipes that get kids involved in the kitchen, we help families turn unfamiliar ingredients into everyday favorites.
We Help Schools Grow with Every Delivery: Our Feed the Brain fundraiser lets neighbors support local schools simply by signing up for our weekly vegetable delivery. For every CSA subscription purchased, we donate $25 to the participating school of their choice. It’s an easy way to nourish your family and invest in your community.
By creating opportunities for positive food experiences, Area 2 Farms helps support the repeated exposure necessary for children to accept new, healthy foods.
Partner with Area 2 Farms Today!
We help schools bring fresh, local food and farm education to kids in fun, approachable ways.
Bring your school in for a tour or contact us to learn more about our programs and resources for families and educators.
