Love your who?? This is a good time to talk to your kids about all the different people who make a grocery store (and other stores) work! The produce manager is generally the person who decides what types of produce will be ordered, and how it will be displayed, especially if the store is not part of a large chain. Even if it is, they can try to order something special for you. They can also tell you what is freshest and what is new or expected soon, so this is a good person to become friends with!
Books
What is produce, anyway? Here's a fun book to introduce some different types of fruits and veggies:
978-1626720022
Don't let the fact that this is a book about colors shy you away from using it with older kids. As any Bountiful Baskets addict knows, produce can come in a variety of colors and shapes we are not used to (I miss my purple carrots!) And WHAT is that giant yellow thing that looks like a mutated chicken foot?? Make a list of things you have tried and things you need to find somewhere!
Of course, if we can do colors, we can do counting - and your produce manager may actually be a local farmer, as in:
978-080-751-1305
Summertime means fresh veggies at the farm stand to pick out and count! This concept book follows a family's stop at the farm stand as they count tomatoes, strawberries, sunflowers―and yes, ears of corn. Felicia Sanzari Chernesky's simple verses are beautifully accompanied by Susan Swan's collage art.
Community
Many grocery stores offer tours to classes and other groups. Find out the requirements for one near you, and once we can all get out in groups again get a few friends together and find out what goes on behind the scenes.
At home, talk with the kids about the different departments at the store. It might be fun to hear first what titles they would give each section! Use toy food, real canned food from your kitchen, or magazine pictures to arrange your own 'store' and do some pretend shopping.
Art
Produce makes for some great paintbrushes! Grab a stalk of celery, cut a carrot in half, carve raw potatoes into interesting shapes, and use them all to stamp paint. Brush with the leafy tops of veggies, or use the fruits themselves as your paint.
Writing
There are dozens of expressions to put into play, here. The apple of my eye...hot potato... Make a list, then see if you can write a whole letter or story using as many as possible. Can you turn it into a play or puppet show?
Math
How do we purchase our produce? Usually by the pound, so this is a great time to work on weights. If you don't have a digital kitchen scale on hand, they are $10-15, and useful for many projects. Take a look at the produce you have on hand, and compare what a pound of one thing looks like compared to a pound of another. Your kids may be surprised to find that smaller objects can weigh more - talk about why!
Science
What is the difference between fruits and vegetables? And where does that pesky tomato belong??Part of the answer depends on whether we are talking about botany or nutrition.
When we are talking about plants, a fruit carries the seed of the plant, and develops from a flower. So, apples are fruits. Peaches, cherries, and watermelons are fruits. Tomatoes are fruits. Vegetables come from all the other parts of a plant - the roots (carrots), leaves (lettuce), or stem (celery).
If you are talking to a chef, however, it usually comes down to savory (vegetables) vs. sweet (fruit). So, botanically, a squash is a fruit, but most cooks would call it a vegetable. Bell peppers and cucumbers come from a flower, but are usually listed under vegetables. And the tomato...well, nutritionally speaking, vegetables have lower sugar content (that sweet vs savory thing again), and tomatoes have very little sugar. Legally speaking, according to the US Supreme Court, the tomato is a vegetable as well!
Social Studies
Take some time to explore all the local produce offerings - large chain stores, locally owned grocery stores, farmer's markets, coops, roadside stands, etc. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of each? Look at things like cost, variety, quality, freshness, use of chemicals, supporting the local economy, job creation, etc.
Movie
What else but Veggie Tales? This one is my personal favorite:
but there are plenty of great titles to choose from! Rack, Shack and Benny...Larryboy and the Rumor Weed...the older titles are the best, imo.
Other Web Sites
Is there a Frieda's near you? https://www.friedas.com/celebrate-love-your-produce-manager-day-on-april-2/
If it's on Facebook, it must be true! This page needs some recent activity, let's flood it with posts and give somebody a "what just happened?" moment: https://www.facebook.com/events/460950777312083/
In Produce Manager the job for you? https://www1.salary.com/Produce-Manager-salaries.html
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